What follows are the comments from the Sierra Madre Patch column we wrote regarding Sensory Processing. We share it now because one of the posters, or a variation thereof, chose to attempt to file a formal complaint against us with the PUSD accusing us of bullying.
We were blamed for posts placed here by other people and blamed for statements we had and have no control over. This is systemic of the underlying discrimination and harassment leveled against our child by a few bullies in Sierra Madre. We will not back down.
Michelle Lesse
10:11 am on Monday, August 6, 2012
Are you trying to fit a square peg into a round hole? I don't understand why you would want to place your child in an environment that causes physical and emotional pain and extreme stress on a daily basis. Perhaps looking beyond the limitations of what the local school district can provide is something you might try. Yes, each child is unique with individual talents, difficulties and accomplishments. Learning the manner in which your child thrives is a daily quest for engaged and enthusiastic parents. Providing opportunities where your child's individual challenges and needs are addressed is an ongoing task and commitment for all parents, not just those with SPD. Traditional school programs are not a "one-size-fits-all" education store for all shoppers. If the PUSD "store" doesn't have the flavor of education that you desire and that your child needs, maybe finding another "education store" in your area is the opportunity that would benefit your child the most.
Subjecting a sensory-sensitive child to a daily barrage of sensory overload in an already overcrowded, noisy, stuffy classroom on a daily basis seems cruel. Traditional classroom setting are LOUD. Learning at home might be the best option for your child today. Dealing with SPD might be easier in a predictable, quiet and controllable environment. Learning in a home school environment might be best for your child at this stage in his/her life. Participating in an understaffed, crowded classroom is not for everyone.
john genzale
11:16 pm on Tuesday, August 7, 2012
I'll quote Michelle Lesse: "Are you trying to fit a square peg into a round hole? I don’t understand why you would want to place your child in an environment that causes physical and emotional pain and extreme stress on a daily basis.”
And I'll quote Louise Educe: "It should be understandable that when our children, who also were left in the dark about how best to interact with your child, came home and shared their concerns about your son's behavior we told them to limit their interactions with him both in the class and on the playground."
If this is an example of Sierra Madre School parents, I would suggest the Brandenburgs jump ship and let Sierra Madre build an 8 foot wall around that "perfect" school to be sure and keep out all those "square pegs" aka "rejects" that reside in the rest of the world. Snobbery at it's finest.
The Brandenburgs cannot enlighten the parent mob that were capable of doing what they did to a young child. They will never accept responsibility. They will continue to project on to the victims in all of this. Deplorable.
Mary Brandenburg
10:43 am on Monday, August 6, 2012
@Michelle, thanks for your thoughts.
It's important to understand that there's Federal laws mandating exactly what we're talking about. http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/edlite-FAPE504.html
It's an issue of civil rights, and equal access for all students, regardless of their learning styles and differences.
We wrote this article to educate the community on looking beyond the obvious, and stepping back and considering the damage that's inflicted on children who are labeled "bad". Because of the spike in autism, sensory processing differences will be more prevalent in the classroom, and everyone needs to be aware and sensitive.
Parents and educators need to broaden the "one-size-fits-all" mentality or more and more students will fail. That is why PUSD is currently in Program Improvement for Special education. There needs to be drastic change, and hopefully the district will take the recommendations of the Special Education Task Force and implement them, rather than continue sweeping their problems under the rug.
There also needs to be Federal standards to keep all students safe, otherwise the "methods" that were inflicted on our child will continue to be viewed as the answer, rather than proper training and education for the adults entrusted to provide an education to all children.
Louis Educe
7:10 am on Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Mary, Thank you for a well written article, this information would have been SO helpful if shared with the parents at the begging of 2nd grade. With no knowledge shared, it should be understandable that when our children, who also were left in the dark about how best to interact with your child, came home and shared their concerns about your son's behavior we told them to limit their interactions with him both in the class and on the playground.
I would love to see a section added to your blog giving real world examples of how other students in the class might best interact in a productive way with your child, both on his good days and his bad ones. As well as the expectations of support of ALL kids by teachers and aides. Having this information in our child's toolbox of life skills (as well as the parents) might have made a difference back then.
Because keeping other parents and kids in the dark about what is really going on and what the real issues are didn't end up very well for anyone involved. Hope this coming year is different. Thanks
Tony Brandenburg
4:35 pm on Tuesday, August 7, 2012
still OUR fault, right mary? how about these people: Gayle Bluemel, Lucinda White, Dan Richy, Yolanda Munoz, Ashe Macy, Kathryn Wohlford, Lisa Perez ..... aren't they PAID to do that? isn't that THEIR job? why is it our job? i can promise you that most of those just named will only look at this to make sure their precious little reputations aren't blemished, but that they won't get anything out of ANY of the things we have written because ...... well because many of them are more concerned with their heels than our kids, and because they simply are not intellectually.capable.of.understanding.it.
john genzale
7:18 pm on Tuesday, August 7, 2012
So it continues.
The Sierra Madre Parent Mob has dwindled a bit, or maybe slunk away in shame.
The Brandenburgs try to educate them, despite the bigotry aimed at their child. The article addressed the special needs of a group of children, how it became "you should segregate your kid, you cruel parents" puzzles me.
Instead of learning something from all of this, Louis, clearly the parent ringleader, tries to blame the parents of the child that was bullied for not instructing them in humanity?
And since when does school site parent education become the explicit responsibility of the parents? Does 'en loco parentis' mean anything?
Hey, where's Louis's side kick, pusddad?
pusddad
9:15 pm on Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Louis specifically stated that he did not want to be considered allied with me, so I cannot be his sidekick.
Tony Brandenburg
12:05 am on Wednesday, August 8, 2012
pobrecito
Louis Educe
10:59 am on Wednesday, August 8, 2012
John, I find it interesting that you say that the school should assert it's "en loco parentis" status. I'll go out on a limb and question if the Brandenburgs would agree to abdicate their authority/rights to the district, I know I don't trust the district to always act in a manner as I would with my children, that is why parental involvement and awareness of what is happening at the school is so important. As parents of a student with an active IEP, the Brandenburgs are in a better place than I to regularly set up guidelines, procedures and checks and balances to be sure their son's needs are being met in the best "least restrictive environment". For them to say "we didn't know" or "they didn't want us around" or "we thought they would do things in a set way" without setting up in the IEP a clear way for them to be regularly informed IS their fault. In the IEP they can and should ask both the teacher and aide to keep a daily anecdotal record, which they could have reviewed. They also could have asked for inservice to be given to the other students on how to best support their child. If they did and it wasnt done then THEY shouldve called the district to accountability for not following the IEP, and made sure it got done. My hope is that if the Brandenburg's son is mainstreamed back into an inclusion classroom, that the process goes better than it did in 2nd (1st) grade. I have tried to give some ideas that would help the other students and parents be aware and supportive
Samantha Stevens
9:11 pm on Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Thank you Tony and Mary for this informative article. Thank you also for sharing over the past year (or two?) what happened to your son by those Sierra Madre parents.
What's up with Louis? Why does he think he can go out on a limb and presume to know anything about how you would think? Why didn't he and the other parents do that when they ostracized your son by telling their kids NOT to interact with your son?
Louis, why can't you accept that the Brandenburgs have stated that they were kept in the dark, on purpose, by the same district that you said you wouldn't abdicate your authority to? A bit hypocritical isn't it?
Louis, how do you know whether or not the Brandenburgs asked the district to inservice the students, or anyone for that matter? How can you presume to know anything about their interactions with the district? The district is notorious for non compliance and has a slew of lawsuits leveled at them for not following IEPs.
For all the presumptions you make about this family, you'd think you'd have presumed by now that they aren't going anywhere and maybe you should all try and learn something from what you did to this child.
I hope that when their child is mainstreamed into one of the classrooms, that you and the other parents give this child more of a chance than you have in the past.
Tony Brandenburg
10:39 am on Thursday, August 9, 2012
blaming the victim is typical aggressor behavior. if i didn't know better, i'd think your husband is a lawyer, lou.
Samantha Stevens
11:27 am on Thursday, August 9, 2012
Louis, Rhoda, Michelle- you all sound like you're cut from similar cloth. How did you guys decide which one of you would go to the police to make reports? And for a bloody nose? Do you guys do that for every accident at the school? Why didn't you go to the teachers, or did they direct you to the police? Sounds like you have a lot of time on your hands to meddle.
Louis Educe
2:21 pm on Thursday, August 9, 2012
Samantha - OK lets ask the Brandenburgs to share what they did ask for in terms of training for the other kids in the class so they could best understand and support their son when he was having a bad day. Or things they could have been taught to understand when he felt the need to move about, bump into things/people, rip paper and break pencils? Why if by Back to Sch nite these supports hadn't been taught did Mary not share at the end of the teacher's presentation when other parents talked about food allergies? instead of staying quiet. It is my understanding that Mary and Tony have shared in other posts that they didn't think it was anyone's need to know that their child had special support issues and were mad when people figured out who the aide was for (not that hard). They appeared to want to "fly under the radar" and were mad when we as parents of other children in the class attempted to figure out why the class had gone out of control. The teacher/Admin are prohibited from sharing anything, even ways for other kids to help the situation, without express permission given in the IEP from the Brandenburgs. The notion that the school should have done training is only valid if the Brandenburgs hadn't had their gag rule in effect.
Louis Educe
2:24 pm on Thursday, August 9, 2012
But maybe I am wrong - Lets ask the Brandenburgs to share exactly how they wanted the classroom community to learn to support their child? How was my child to know your son had special needs when he lost it and threw a tantrum in his face - rather than just being a jerk to be avoided? Please explain if your child is mainstreamed next year the steps you intend to have the district put in place so ALL students can learn and form a supportive environment for your son? and remember not everyone reads PATCH.
Understanding the disability is only half of it, the rest is being given specific skills to put into place and knowing when and how to use them.
Tony Brandenburg
3:45 pm on Thursday, August 9, 2012
Lou, you are a fraud. A woman with a bloated ego, and a big mouth. If you want to quote something I have said, find it, and post it, otherwise stfu., you cow.
Mary Brandenburg
5:10 pm on Thursday, August 9, 2012
Well Lou, we’re revisiting the Back to School night.
Yes, that’s the night I walked in with THE child. I didn’t understand that night why I was getting vibed, but I felt it.
That’s the night I should have taken it upon myself and stood up in front of the parents to disclose all kinds of information?
Maybe I should have had my son stand front and center for you all to examine while I explained? Maybe we could have poked him from behind to elicit a response? Or made lots of noise to induce an overload? Or maybe, as the parents requested, we could have gotten a couple of big aides to restrain him and see what happened?
If the class was out of control, how was it my job to teach the teacher to pull it together? My understanding was that there were a few active boys that ran throughout the classroom, messing around.....but somehow it was always blamed on one particular boy- mine.
The teacher and administrators did not have to violate confidentiality to discuss children with autism, or with sensory processing challenges. They could have made general statements as there are many commonalities, and don’t forget, this was the designated INCLUSION CLASS.
If administrators/board member were so worried about violating FERPA, why is it they met more than once with the parent group to discuss this child, without asking the parents, let alone having an IEP team meeting to propose this?
Louis Educe
11:40 pm on Thursday, August 9, 2012
Mary, I guess we both bring up our pet subjects - Back to school for me and the "inclusion class" title for you.
I was reminded of BtS as I was clearing out my camera's card a few weeks ago and found a video of that BtS talk by the teacher. I had recorded her as my wife was home with the kids since the school had made it clear in both written and phone calls that this was a parent only night (but that doesn't apply to you?). At no point in the talk did the teacher mention that this was an inclusion class, or offer any helpful suggestions on avoiding triggers.
Since I know you and tony save everything could you share how exactly we were supposed to be informed it was the inclusion classroom? the Dist may have told you in the IEP that it was your inclusion room, and you had choices in placements offered to you. We found out our son's placement just like the rest of the school - seeing his name posted on a list the day before school. There was no choice and no change and no notification. If I am wrong, please scan it and post the letter/memo I missed. Otherwise drop the lie that "we knew it was the inclusion class and could have had our child moved out if we wanted, but chose to move yours out instead."
Louis Educe
11:50 pm on Thursday, August 9, 2012
Tony - I was wondering when your back up singers would arrive (Missy / Tony Baloney)
Very creative twist one of them is using posting as Rhoda Penmark and going so over the top. at least it is less likely to get the blog shut down.
I am getting the quotes together - but it take time to pull them from so many past blogs here on Patch. School starts back for me next week so won't have as much time to play.
Tony Brandenburg
11:57 pm on Thursday, August 9, 2012
missy and baloney are on the blog? i am glad you have so much time to spend on me. at least it keeps you and your hen society off of my kid, you sow. you must be really worried about his placement to be so far up our business. now, if you'll excuse me, i am going to wander around kopenhagen. happy trails, merry moo cow
Louis Educe
12:04 am on Friday, August 10, 2012
And Mary believe it or not I really would love to see a section added to your blog giving real world examples of how other students in the class might best interact in a productive way with your child, both on his good days and his bad ones. As well as the expectations of support of ALL kids by teachers and aides. Having this information in our child's toolbox of life skills (as well as the parents) might have made a difference back then.
You share the characteristics of SPD child and ask for understanding and support - fine How should I answer my child when he asks why he got in trouble for getting up out of his seat to get a pencil out of his backpack int he coat room without permission, but yours can wander around an disrupt others with no consequence? My son has a thing about rewards and punishment being fair, how should I explain the concept of "manifestation" as a reason to overlook behavioral issues any other child would get in big trouble for? What are things my child could do to avoid setting a SPD child off, and how best to deal with it when they do go off on/at him?
These are REAL questions which need answers BEFORE the school year starts, because as you and Tony have shared SPD and Autism rates are on the rise and if my son is in class again with your son or another child, I would like to know how best to prepare him so there isn't a repeat of 2nd grade.
Believe me or not, but at least try and answer the questions.
Tony Brandenburg
1:54 am on Friday, August 10, 2012
looks like you have a grazing partner, edumoocow. i can't speak for mrs. b, but i can assure you that i won't do any research for you. your teachers, including the one you said couldn't control her class- were all approached by us and given all the information they needed. we were told to butt out. it's all documented, and it will all be in the complaint and in the documentary, along with all your letters, names, etc. they gave us everything......... you are so funny, a college educated bovine, the napoleon of the animal farm pen, and you want us to do your research. lol.
Michelle Lesse
12:03 pm on Monday, August 6, 2012
Yes, there are many needs and wants in terms of improvements in our enormous school district. Unfortunately, there is not enough money or time to fix all that is broken in our schools and society. Why not focus on what you CAN DO for your child in their immediate experience? Your child may have talents and abilities that are unfolding now, on his/her own rhythm and at his/her own pace. Needing an alternative to the traditional classroom experience does not mean that your child was "failed" by the district. It does not mean that your child failed. Finding an alternate learning experience or scholastic program for your child is the challenge that is presented to you. There are many items in my list of public education "needs". I believe that access to nutritionally sound food for all children in our school district and across the nation is vitally important for each child. I believe that teachers both locally and nationally should be paid better salaries. I believe that class sizes in PUSD should be smaller so that teaching staff have adequate time to teach to the child rather than teaching to the test. However, we don't live in a perfect world where there is enough money to change all of the "needs" that I want. I know that I CAN search out the educational tools and programs that are the best fit for my child and make the best use of my own abilities and talents in making each day as full and rewarding for my child as possible. Casting blame is not a productive tool.
Reply
Tony Brandenburg
2:34 pm on Monday, August 6, 2012
and there you have it, maryjo. do you know this lady? she lives maybe 5 blocks from you. a total stranger? she gave yo some advice, dig it. she said, "Casting blame is not a productive tool." ain't that great advice? what a profound statement.
she also said this about us- " I don't understand why you would want to place your child in an environment that causes physical and emotional pain and extreme stress on a daily basis." pretty bold statement for a total stranger, don't you think?
we said, "the children who pay. All of them. They pay for the ignorance of their elders to recognize that there is more to our world than test scores and achievement gaps. They pay with our common humanity because they have been taught to build up walls and borders to keep people who do not look or act the same in some other place. A world that says, "This is mine, and that is yours."
he response was, "Learning at home might be the best option for your child today." in other words, dear heart, segregate your kid, he doesn't fit.
she said, "Yes, there are many needs and wants in terms of improvements in our enormous school district. " really, maybe you and i are daft, but isn't there an enrollment that has decreased so significantly that it closed like 7 schools? Long Beach is a huge school district, PUSD isn't even what would be called large, except perhaps in its own mind.
you want me to continue? it's late here in Helsinki, but I will continue if you want to hear it.
Tony Brandenburg
2:52 pm on Monday, August 6, 2012
Teachers need a raise?
Cool, I will take one. I spend most of our single paycheck defending my family from the vermin of Sierra Madre and the damage these teabaggers did to my kid, so that I can get a lecture from someone i have never seen at any of the 40 or so board meetings i have been to, telling me, an adult with sensory processing issues, how my kid sees the world. the irony is beautiful, don't you think?
i told you, they are without a clue. you are wasting your time. communities like this are full of hot air bags that know everything that YOU need, and are more than willing to let you know. it is, after all, our fault for being so cruel as to try to socialize him with the spawn of these slime suckers.
you edited out what, 2000 words so that it would be simple enough for them?- and here it comes. The sound advice from the newest know it all? segregate him.
Never mind that the school district took us to due process because we tried to home school him. never mind that the people of our community met on the school, called the police, filed false reports, conspired with 3 administrators to remove him- none of that matters. It doesn't matter because this is OUR FAULT no matter what we do. you can put sugar on dirt, but it's still dirt. i don't care how nice they sweeten it, it's laced candy and they keep feeding it to us.
catch 22, doll. damned if you do what they want, damned if you don't. stop sending our stuff to the patch. these people are too stupid.
Michelle Lesse
3:36 pm on Monday, August 6, 2012
I believe that homeschooling is a fantastic option for many children. It is an opportunity to move at a child's own pace and interests. It also might work well in offering an atmosphere that is controllable and physically comfortable to a child with Sensory Processing Disorder. An overcrowded classroom does not offer a child many choices for changing or adjusting incoming stimuli throughout their day. Empowering a child by allowing them to be in charge of incoming sensory stimuli might make a world of difference in how they learn and how they acquire new skills. Homeschooling is in no way a punishment. Being able to learn at your own pace, follow your own interests and control your own schedule is a blessing.
Home schooling is alive and well in Sierra Madre. I would be happy to introduce you to 3 families, all neighbors on my street, who are currently choosing to home school their children. As for my own family, we need our two modest incomes to stay afloat precluding our homeschool option for now.
Good luck navigating parenthood.
Mary Brandenburg
9:17 pm on Monday, August 6, 2012
@Michelle- Honestly, navigating parenthood has been a piece of cake compared to navigating the Sierra Madre School culture.
My goal was that this blog would educate the community on how sensory processing differences impact the children, and their families, within their communities.
By sharing this information, my hope was that what happened to our child would NEVER happen to another child at SIerra Madre School.
There are some misinformed parents/staff at Sierra Madre School re: autism and sensory processing challenges. Secluding these children away from society will teach neither the child, their peers, nor the school community- a thing about respecting and celebrating learning differences.
I really did not expect yet another parent from Sierra Madre School to suggest (albeit in a nicer way) that we segregate our child from his school community.
The intent of the essay was to encourage inclusion of all types of learning differences by looking at behaviors from a different perspective.
Tony Brandenburg
12:06 am on Tuesday, August 7, 2012
navigating facebook and yahoo pages is so much more satisfying, hey mj. doesn't it figure? she is connected with all the vermin. i told you when she first posted that she was talking down to us, took all of 5 minutes to figure out how. got to give her credit tho, at least she has the backbone to have an (almost) direct conversation. of course she would suggest we segregate our child- she doesn't want him there either....... but none dare call their behavior bigotry and prejudice...... except us, and the rest of the world outside this verticle slum
Tony Brandenburg
4:31 pm on Monday, August 6, 2012
yeah, thanks. enjoy the carousel.
Tony Brandenburg
12:18 am on Tuesday, August 7, 2012
should be just about time for the rest of the krew to start dropping their dimes, i hope they won't let us down. they all remind me of all i hate about this place, and it's always fun to answer people who say, "sierra madre is a great town" with links to what this dogpile is really about.
Tony Brandenburg
7:11 am on Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Ps still in Helsinki, let me know if you want me to continue. Like I've said before, new shed, same tools.
Tony Brandenburg
7:12 am on Tuesday, August 7, 2012
And they aren't as sharp as they used to be
DonvitoCorleoneFraDon
7:11 am on Friday, August 10, 2012
Louie!!!!!!! How r u ???? I see you missed me !!!!! But I c your nasty disposition hasn't changed !!!!!! I love that Rhoda penmatk she had one pair of shoes I wish louie could c but she threw away those nasty shoes kinda like Louie wishes to through away the brandenburgs boy!!
Tony Brandenburg
7:21 am on Friday, August 10, 2012
told you not to say candyman 3 times, louella deville
DonvitoCorleoneFraDon
7:15 am on Friday, August 10, 2012
It's been a long time Louie much to long has the "change"going Lola?this kind of change can be very hard to make one day you have mams the next day they r gone !!!
DonvitoCorleoneFraDon
7:22 am on Friday, August 10, 2012
Michelle
Do the 3 families you care 2 introduce the brandenburgs 2 also carry pitchforks like u ?
Louis Educe
9:35 am on Friday, August 10, 2012
Copied from above to keep questions and answers together here at the end:
"And Mary believe it or not I really would love to see a section added to your blog giving real world examples of how other students in the class might best interact in a productive way with your child, both on his good days and his bad ones. As well as the expectations of support of ALL kids by teachers and aides. Having this information in our child's toolbox of life skills (as well as the parents) might have made a difference back then.
You share the characteristics of SPD child and ask for understanding and support - fine How should I answer my child when he asks why he got in trouble for getting up out of his seat to get a pencil out of his backpack int he coat room without permission, but yours can wander around an disrupt others with no consequence? My son has a thing about rewards and punishment being fair, how should I explain the concept of "manifestation" as a reason to overlook behavioral issues any other child would get in big trouble for? What are things my child could do to avoid setting a SPD child off, and how best to deal with it when they do go off on/at him?
These are REAL questions which need answers BEFORE the school year starts, because as you and Tony have shared SPD and Autism rates are on the rise and if my son is in class again with your son or another child, I would like to know how best to prepare him so there isn't a repeat of 2nd grade
Louis Educe
9:43 am on Friday, August 10, 2012
And Mary, you state that "My goal was that this blog would educate the community on how sensory processing differences impact the children, and their families, within their communities.
By sharing this information, my hope was that what happened to our child would NEVER happen to another child at SIerra Madre School."
which seems to imply wanting to make sure classrooms, students and parents are prepared both with knowledge about SPD/Autism as well as tools to use to help your child be successful (and hopefully everyone else in the class too) next year.
Yet Tony blasts any questions with "but i can assure you that i won't do any research for you", which leads me to think it isn't about making the class and other students receptive and prepared, or even about your son's success, but some other agenda.
Please answer the questions above or give links to places which offer suggestions on practical skills for regular ed students with "active" SPD/Autistic kids in there classes.
Mary Brandenburg
10:44 am on Friday, August 10, 2012
@Louis, despite your continued, somewhat veiled, negative insinuations re: specifically my son, I will try to answer your questions in a less narrow focused way. There will be other students at Sierra Madre School, besides my son, who have autism and/or sensory processing disorder. But, you also need to recognize that even though we brought a medical diagnosis for this condition to PUSD in Kindergarten, they REFUSED to provide sensory accommodations nor any treatments through OT, treating it all as "behavioral".
The child that entered Pre K SIerra Madre School was a MUCH different child than what you and your cohorts conspired against in 2nd grade. What you saw was the culmination of inappropriate interventions and/or denials of sensory processing needs for 4 YEARS. One of your parent letter writers spoke about post traumatic stress disorder, so can I, but with significantly more validity.
10:45 am on Friday, August 10, 2012
(Cont.) As I’ve said, there are many commonalities in how to approach a child with sensory processing differences. First and foremost, it needs to be recognized as a sensory processing difference, not simply bad behavior. It has to be recognized and respected as a response to how they process stimuli- otherwise the responses to negative situations become a learned response- I have seen it first hand.
Here, as you asked, is a great website- if you really want to learn. I’ve shared it with teachers, and the school. It was ignored. The sensory diet and accommodations my son needed had to FINALLY come from an outside agency- which we had to fight for.
http://www.sensory-processing-disorder.com/problem-behavior-in-the-classroom.html
DonvitoCorleoneFraDon
11:20 am on Friday, August 10, 2012
I heard you reward you son with donuts for his "good" behavior
Not to disrupt your parenting skills but don't u think a carrot would be a better option?
Mary Brandenburg
2:08 pm on Friday, August 10, 2012
Louis- re: how to explain to your son accommodating diverse learning needs in inclusive environments and the issue of “fairness”?
Keep in mind the PUSD vision is for ALL schools to be Inclusive within 5 years. All students have varying levels of needs and interventions. Your son, for example wears glasses to support his vision. Mine needs movement breaks scheduled throughout his day. How is one accommodation more “fair” than another? You should know. In case you don’t an FYI- PUSD plans to move towards a Universal Design for Learning, rather than the one-size-fits-all plan currently in place.
http://www.udlcenter.org/
Here’s a link to the PUSD Sp. Ed. Task Force Recommendations re: Gen./Spec. Ed., UDL, etc. (seriously edited of course, by PUSD to ease/avoid implementation).
http://pusd.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php view_id=12&clip_id=436&meta_id=66638.
Re: your suggestion that we haven’t contributed our fair share to PUSD? If we were to log the hours we spent on just this task force, utilizing our professional expertise- you’d be surprised- but would likely criticize us for this as well.
Louis Educe
2:53 pm on Friday, August 10, 2012
Mary you stated that "Your son, for example wears glasses to support his vision. Mine needs movement breaks scheduled throughout his day. How is one accommodation more “fair” than another?"
But my son's accommodations don't impinge upon your son's learning. If your son's breaks were properly monitored so as not to be a disruption to others I could care less if he needed them.
Just as I told my son never to intentionally do anything to set your child off, I also encouraged him to be polite and positive when your son was having a good day , but give him plenty of space and time when having a bad day.
I am a big fan of John Stuart Mill's essay entitled "On Liberty" in it this wonderful quote is made: "The liberty (freedom of actions) of the individual must be thus far limited, he must not make himself a nuisance to other people. But if he refrains from molesting others in what concerns them, and merely acts according to his own inclination and judgement in things which concern himself, the same reasons which show that opinion should be free, prove also that he should be allowed, without molestation, to carry his opinions into action at his own cost." He also states that acts of whatever kind which do harm to others may and are often required to be controlled for the good of the larger group.
If PUSD, the school site, the aide/s, yourselves and the IEP process had put things in place to both fully support your son AND the rest of the class there would have been no problems.
Samantha Stevens
3:27 pm on Friday, August 10, 2012
Mary and Tony, I'm sorry for what you have to put up with! Your child and your family were bullied by this group of parents, yet you continue to try and enlighten them.
When Louis pressures (challenges) Mary to take the time to further explain the well written, self explanatory essay, Mary obliges and shares her expertise. Rather than thanking Mary, he lashes out in his typical sanctimonious and hypocritical way. Louis, you sure act like a guy on a serious power trip- what's with all the macho posturing against the obvious victims in all of this? What do you get out of all this, besides the obvious? Bully.
Louis Educe
7:34 pm on Friday, August 10, 2012
Mary, I do want to thank you for the first link, it was very interesting and eye opening, I will print parts of it out and share with the teachers at my school as it is mainly about how they need to set up their classroom to accommodate a student with special needs. What I didn’t see anywhere on that site were any hints/helps for parents of regular ed kids and how to help them understand (not the condition, but its effect on the classroom environment). I agree that the teacher’s role in setting up the classroom environment plays a large part in the success or failure of the room, as does the support they get from the district office, but I feel that unless the gen ed kids in the classroom have a clear understanding of their role it will ultimately fail.
Any links to anything like that?
And even if you don't believe me let me say it would be fine if our son's were classmates again, knowing that events of the past will push everyone involved, PUSD, SM Admin, Teachers, ALL Parents and ALL Kids to make sure it is done right this time around.
(PS. Your link to the PUSD task force report is not valid - it may not be accessible to the public yet?)
Tony Brandenburg
12:12 am on Sunday, August 12, 2012
everything is there. you need to figure out how to use your computer and find it, magellan
TG
12:39 pm on Tuesday, August 14, 2012
If a child is allowed to wander around the room without the teacher intervening, that's a teacher issue. But it doesn't matter what you think, federal law protects children. Any child can go to public school--were you aware of that? Blind kids, sickly kids, any color kids, SPD kids, kids with cancer that may need meds, kids with asthma, ADHD, kids you don't like....doesn't matter. IEPs are in place to protect children and provide them with a quality education. Also, did you really think the parents should stand up in front of a classroom full of other kids and parents and describe her child's special needs? Really? Maybe the professionals could've handled things with a bit more grace.
DonvitoCorleoneFraDon
11:22 am on Friday, August 10, 2012
My Above comment was for Louie EDUCE
Louis Educe
2:58 pm on Friday, August 10, 2012
DonvitoCorleoneFraDon, and Mary and Tony - I know the family you have confused me with, I have told you time and again. We are not them, but you fail to believe you could be anything but right. Your closed mindedness speaks volumes about your lack of seeing ANYTHING from another view point and says much about why people didn't feel comfortable going to you directly that year.
Tony Brandenburg
6:47 pm on Friday, August 10, 2012
la douce, it doesn't matter. you are a cow. play your game. you have your heads parked so far up each other's asses you are pretty much all the same. report that.
12:23 pm on Saturday, August 11, 2012
So Louis... we ask again.... exactly who ARE you?
Mary Brandenburg
2:18 pm on Friday, August 10, 2012
And finally Louis re: punishment: After reading all those nasty parent letters and the petition, I think the biggest issue was that some parents felt my son was not punished enough at school.
Besides the obvious undocumented restraints over the years, being pulled out of safe zones, carried/dragged to the guidance room/storage room, etc. I’d like you to stop and think about the way my son was punished for his disability- through a group effort of parents with an agenda.....
A child with motor planning issues, proximity issues, in the middle of a group of squirrelly kids on the floor..... ACCIDENTALLY bumps a student next to him in the nose with his elbow. The punishment? An assault report to the local police- TWO WEEKS LATER. The punishment following this report? SEGREGATION from all age peers (without parent notification): stuck in a hallway on the floor for his lunch and filling out xerox pages- all this on a great day. Not enough? Because of what these parents set into motion through their ignorance and hatred, my son was denied an education for two years now.
pusddad
3:30 pm on Friday, August 10, 2012
denied an education for 2 years?
Tony Brandenburg
5:51 pm on Friday, August 10, 2012
stain. f/o p/o/s
Louis Educe
7:20 pm on Friday, August 10, 2012
Mary I never implied that your son needed more punishment - I asked how best to explain the idea of your son's behavior as a manifestation of his condition and how schools would treat him differently in terms of consequences than a gen ed student.
How do you explain that to a 2nd or 3rd grader who sees that as unfair?
Mary Brandenburg
11:34 pm on Friday, August 10, 2012
yes, pusddad, denied FAPE for 2 years, besides the FERPA violations by Mr. Ed. and crew.
Tony Brandenburg
12:10 am on Saturday, August 11, 2012
How do I expplain to my children the hatred leveled at us all over the last couple of years? Waaaa, poor you. We need to worry about what you tell your kids? You want to whine to us about justice and compassion, sow? Really?
Tony Brandenburg
12:14 am on Saturday, August 11, 2012
Our kids watched us try to negotiate and navigate through this swine pit for years. They can all read. All of them. What they learned is that civility is only graced to others, not to them, and the best way to deal with people like you is to give what you get, question all motives, and expect conflict. Oh, you've done well edusow.
Tony Brandenburg
12:24 am on Saturday, August 11, 2012
Again, at this point, what you and the stellar staff have done is cemented. What do we care about what you do or what you tell your children? Why don't you start with the truth? Why don't you tell them that you got caught up in hysteria and destroyed a little boy and his family? Why don't you own what you did, and apologize, unconditionally, for it? Because you aren't sorry, because your lparticipation here is as a mole, because you are trying to find out where he'll be this year, and you and your club want to INTERFERE if it isn't how YOU think it should be. You got another meeting set up ? Did you save all the numbers? Get your phone tree ready? Got your school site council puppets in place?
DonvitoCorleoneFraDon
8:36 pm on Friday, August 10, 2012
Louis I'm surprised you called the brand rugs closed minded !!! Weren't u the one who met in the park with all the other hooded people who tried to ostasize their boy who you felt didn't fit into the "normal" criteria ?? I think you better pull up your hood and take a closer look in your own backyard and see that shoving donuts into your sons mouth when he does bad things isn't the answer !!!
Louis Educe
11:09 pm on Friday, August 10, 2012
Actually Missy/Don, that was not me. I never met in a park, nor asked for the removal of their son from class. All I asked for was that all the support needed for him to be successful in the class be given to see if it helped the situation and help for the other kids to know how best to support him, not trigger him, and understand what was going on. You have me confused with someone else.
Tony Brandenburg
12:16 am on Sunday, August 12, 2012
they must of confused you with pinnochio
DonvitoCorleoneFraDon
5:56 am on Saturday, August 11, 2012
Oh Louie Mary I know exactly who u r !!!please stop insulting everybody's intellect !!! I'm not the one cunfused !!! METHIINKS THE HOODED LADY DOTH PROTEST TOO MUCH!!!!!!!!
DonvitoCorleoneFraDon
6:10 am on Saturday, August 11, 2012
Oh Rhoda penmatk so your part of the "- LAN " ( u know what letter is missing ) so you traded in your little black patent leather tap shoes for a hoodie? Oops u spelled the brandenburgs last name wrong!!!!
Reply
DonvitoCorleoneFraDon
10:03 am on Saturday, August 11, 2012
Louie / Mary m. Saddle up treats in your old meeting place (the park)CARROTS APPLES AND SUGAR CUBES !!!!!!!
Reply
Tony D. Baloney
12:15 pm on Saturday, August 11, 2012
No Lou Lou... I am late for the party... but yeah... you still disgust me.... I find it telling that you would think I would have to post under name to get our point across.... no... believe it or not... your behavior actually does disgust people... you continue to bully the Brandenburg's and their child despite the child's gifts.... Why? Does it bother you that the kid is gifted? What are you teaching YOUR child? That you bullying your way into success? That when you don't like people you can simply make them go away by taking their civil rights away from them? How are you going to handle yourself when your child bring home his first date that is black... latino... asian.... fill in the blank? Are you gonna bully your kid and throw a tantrum? Take away the car keys? You really make me sad Lou Lou... really.... for it is people like you who bring this beautiful world we live in down. All your hatred. Prejudice. Narrow minded. Bigotry. And yes... Bullying. I am sorry you can't fathom why people could find encouragement and enlightenment in the Brandenburg's story. Get over it and leave the family alone... cyberstalker!
DonvitoCorleoneFraDon
7:00 pm on Saturday, August 11, 2012
I wonder if the brabdenburgs boy will be in the same class with Louie /Mary m donut eating boy!!
Mary Brandenburg
9:23 am on Saturday, August 18, 2012
You know what, pusdad? I won't let you draw me in with your baiting on an article about another child. I won't trivialize that child's story. I hope that young man is safe in the special day class from what happened to my child when he was "included" at Sierra Madre.
Re: ad nauseum articles.......well, you've kept up with them, haven't you? Stay tuned to the August 28th Board meeting. We're on the agenda with a special request.
Mary Brandenburg
9:32 pm on Saturday, August 18, 2012
Louis, Edugreat, Mary Mac, etc. You know very well that after pusddad continued baiting me, I brought it right here, this morning, at 9:23 am.
You received the email notification for my response on THIS ARTICLE because you started bullying and harassing us as you always do on EVERY SINGLE article or blog about our family.
You, personally circulated the petition to remove my son, under the guise of the PTA. You organized the parents and shared the information. You corresponded with the Board member.
THAT is why you have been so hell bent on continuously bullying us every chance you get. You project to throw anyone off the track of what you did. Bully.
Go ahead, try and tell us it's not you, again. You changed your gender, tried to hide the fact you had a son, acknowledged he wears glasses, oops, and stated he sat next to my son.
Mary Brandenburg
9:51 pm on Saturday, August 18, 2012
And after all that you did to our family, but especially to our CHILD, I have still engaged with you- despite never getting an honest apology from you.
You, "Louis", have a lot of nerve to try and chastise me- after all our family has put up with because of you.
You should be hanging your head in shame for bullying a child with Autism. No amount of sugar coating on another article regarding a child with autism will change what you did.
We know the family in the latest article you tried to recreate yourself on. They are good people, and they know our struggles with people like you. I will call them and congratulate them, and of course, fill them in.
mary
2:01 pm on Sunday, August 19, 2012
Hi Navigio, re: the "product from the Honowitz camp"..... product being the film documentary.....Honowitz being part of the Pasadena political machine....etc.
Naturally, every film maker has their view of politics which can end up in their work. In this documentary, there appears to be some very "creative" editing made where certain people, eg. Scott Phelps and German Barerro are put in a negative light, while Peter Dreier is shown to outright challenge and disrespect Miramontes. These men all challenge the status quo and ask for transparency and accountability.
Now Sierra Madre School has had some negative attention regarding discrimination of an Autistic child- with Honowitz front and center in the whole debacle. Diaz, Blanco, Bluemel, Petrossian left, but Honowitz remains, and he has some clean up to do, right? I believe it's no fluke that the two vignettes from the documentary focused so positively on special needs children- and at Sierra Madre School of all places. Nice clean up, especially if Honowitz is going to take advantage of the redistricting his friends so conveniently placed him in, given that he's going to run for City Council seat district 5........No wonder he was so supportive of the maps.
mary
2:04 pm on Sunday, August 19, 2012
And to clarify- Phelps, Miramontes, and Barrero push for transparency and accountability- unlike the old guard.
Vinny BarbarinoVinnybarbarino
5:43 pm on Sunday, August 19, 2012
Oh noooooo what's that aroma ? Louie/ Mary Mac you soiled your undies everybody now knows your name !!
Reply
Louis Educe
6:49 am on Monday, August 20, 2012
Pusddad, Rhoda, Tony and Mary,
Mary thanks for moving the conversation here (for whatever reason you what to say)
now lets take it a step further and remove from the Documentary blog the posts that are not directly related to the content - that really would be the best thing to do. I'll go first and remove mine about moving things here.
Think about it.
Tony Brandenburg
2:20 am on Tuesday, August 21, 2012
i don't negotiate with liars.
Tony Brandenburg
2:22 am on Tuesday, August 21, 2012
i will go ahead and repost the thread you deleted over here, 'k?
Tony Brandenburg
2:25 am on Tuesday, August 21, 2012
(and to reiterate, i don't negotiate with liars, so if i choose to repost the thread, your permission is not necessary. keep trying to hide, vermin)
Kelly DeLaura
7:12 pm on Monday, August 20, 2012
Wow. You people sicken me. How DARE you adult bullies gang up on a poor defenseless 2nd grader with SPD. Remember karma is a bitch. Sleep well.
Vinny BarbarinoVinnybarbarino
7:38 am on Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Louie / Mary mac
I have a song for u .......miss Mary Mack Mack Mack all dressed in white white white with a hoodie down her back back back !!!
Mary Brandenburg
5:22 pm on Tuesday, August 21, 2012
So, tomorrow's the first day of school and guess what? Sent out my emails over the entire summer trying to get answers, even sent them to the very top. We are still waiting to hear what the plan is. Another year of the same old unprepared and untrained........ same old mind set- NOTHING has changed. Inservicing on sensory processing, or behavioral differences? I don't know, does anyone??
You'll be happy to know, Edugreat, this year I'm taking a chance at being SARBed rather than allowing my boy to be dumped into another inappropriate setting and harmed as he was in 2nd grade.
I'm going to wait until PUSD and Sierra Madre School get their act together, but who's going to be blamed?
It will be us again, no matter what we do.
8:31 pm on Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Hi Mary. As an fyi, some District staff had their workload reduced as part of the budget cut negotiations. I don't know whether it impacted those people you were trying to communicate with but its possible. Not to justify any delay, but just an FYI .. :-)
Mary Brandenburg
9:53 pm on Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Thanks for the FYI Navigio.
You're right though, it can't justify the delay as many of the issues extend for years upon years.
It's very disheartening when you can see direct evidence of the systemic failures, notify the District, and are ignored- again and again. Then, some of those same staff make reports at Board meetings that things are "currently occurring" or are "in the planning process"........eg. the Special Education Task Force. I could go through that list of recommendations, having worked on many of them, and show how they're not occurring, no matter what staff say. All the Board needs to do is check out the number of due process/compliance complaints to know what's really happening.
I refuse to allow my child to be blamed for the failures of the system......and for the failures of a community. Nope, I won't give up.
Louis Educe
7:37 pm on Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Mary, I am sorry the district has, through their inaction, forced you into the decision to hold your child out until they can assure his specific needs will be met in a way which holds everyone accountable for his successful placement and smooth integration into whatever classroom setting they feel is best.
Vinny BarbarinoVinnybarbarino
8:00 pm on Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Sybil deserves the academy award !!!
Mary Brandenburg
6:42 am on Thursday, August 23, 2012
A great resource for parents/educators. This article is a must read for PUSD staff/parent volunteers working with kids on the autism spectrum http://www.specialeducationadvisor.com/preventing-meltdowns-outsmarting-the-explosive-behavior-of-individuals-with-autism-spectrum-disorders/
pusddad
10:47 am on Thursday, August 23, 2012
how does a second grade classroom provide a good sensory diet?
Mary Brandenburg
12:05 pm on Thursday, August 23, 2012
Funny pusddad. The school provides it as part of FAPE when it's in the child's IEP as a designated service through occupational therapy. My son was supposed to have a sensory diet as part of a settlement agreement, including during the 2nd grade- but he was denied it. Thus, the behavioral issues escalated. Again, was it LRE when he was denied IEP guaranteed services?
pusddad
12:14 pm on Thursday, August 23, 2012
lots of big abbreviations don't answer the question of how and why 25 other 7 year old classmates should alter their age appropriate behavior and learning environment in order to accomodate the disbaility of one.
pusddad
12:16 pm on Thursday, August 23, 2012
disability.
Mary Brandenburg
12:24 pm on Thursday, August 23, 2012
You're a lawyer, or a professor, or whatever- you know what the abbreviations mean. You also know what civil rights are. No one asks a classroom of students to implement a legal document, that's up to the staff, unless they'd rather submit to a bunch of parent vigilantes.
pusddad
2:45 pm on Thursday, August 23, 2012
how can a legal document dictate how a 7 year old and his or her classmates can act, feel and learn in the face of one prone to explosive behavior in the course of routine classroom stimulation?
Mary Brandenburg
2:54 pm on Thursday, August 23, 2012
The legal document dictates specific programs, services and supports that need to be in place for the child to access his education alongside his peers. Unless they're in place, the child does not have the necessary tools to participate.
The parent vigilantes and the district denied my child the tools he needed to have success in the general classroom.
Tony Brandenburg
12:49 am on Saturday, August 25, 2012
PUSDDAD commented on the article Autistic Student Makes Bittersweet Return to Sierra Madre Elementary QUOTE: “......If you don't like Sierra Madre and smes because it has too many white folks, move somewhere else. Don't lash out at the rest of the world ..........."
pusddad
3:22 pm on Thursday, August 23, 2012
who pays for the programs? why did you not try to ensure that they were in place when you placed your child there? do the programs require the other kids to alter normal 7 year old activities, feelings and behavior simply to accomodate the explosive behavior of one?
Louis Educe
4:05 pm on Thursday, August 23, 2012
Pusddad - the issue of "who pays" is irrelevant - there are funds for this built into the district Special Ed accounts. The district may make some choices based on saving money, but to deny a child services solely based on money is discriminatory. The real question is if the amount of support needed to ensure success for one student would be out-weighed by the impact it has on the learning environment of the others - in other words would the other students right to a LRE be harmed (remember there were other kids with IEPs in that class)
For example if there was a Hard of hearing student in class who's IEP says they need the teacher to use amplification (a PA) does his LRE needs over ride a SPD students LRE needs for no loud noises? The district would have to make a decision as to which student might need a change of placement.
And really we don't/shouldn't know and neither do/can the Brandenburgs if something like this may also have come into play for their son's change.
Louis Educe
3:55 pm on Thursday, August 23, 2012
Mary - you are incorrect to say that "The parent vigilantes and the district denied my child the tools he needed to have success in the general classroom."
NO parent denied your child his "tools" to be successful, the district made the decision as to what they felt could/should be done from their side and then made a placement decision/offer to you.
We as parents of your child's peers asked for them to fully support your child with everything he needed so ALL student could learn in a peaceful productive learning environment. THEY made their choices. We asked for our kids to get training so the wouldn't trigger your son, and also be able to understand and build empathy. THEY made the choice NOT to do that either.
NOBODY - you, your son or his peers got the support they needed for the class to be a positive place for ALL kids. DO NOT lump us and the district together.
Mary Brandenburg
5:01 pm on Thursday, August 23, 2012
When the class parents developed an "action plan" with the former Principal that involved removing the child from the class, rather than allowing him to access his classroom "safe zone"- TOGETHER they denied him one of his tools to cope within his classroom environment.
Instead, he was bodily removed into the storage classroom for hours at a time. THIS is what the parent vigilantes asked for, and which the district implemented.
Then, after being out of school for three months- it was decided that removal from the entire school would be the "best" way to appease the hostile parents.
TOGETHER, PUSD and the hostile parents worked to remove my son from the school. In June we received the public documents to prove it.
Why didn't the parents circulate a petition requesting PUSD immediately provide the supports my son needed? Because they did NOT care if my son got his supports.
Why didn't the parents gather together to meet at the PUSD District offices to make sure that when he came back, he was properly supported- rather than to raise an uproar to keep him out?
Because those parents really did not want my son around their children, but now pretend like they wanted to "help" him so they can fool themselves to think what they did wasn't that bad.
Tony Brandenburg
6:00 pm on Thursday, August 23, 2012
we can start quoting from the letters, emails, and documents, edugreat/ educe (why do you hide behind a pseudonym?) if you would like, or upload them, names edited, or not; makes no difference to me. YOU are in no position to say "NO parent denied your child his "tools" to be successful, the district made the decision as to what they felt could/should be done from their side and then made a placement decision/offer to you." or anything else about what the OTHER parents did or didn't do- unless you were deeper in the spit than you admit t, ......and I believe you were. in fact, you repeatedly give information that you shoould not have been privy to, and that is about as obvious a FERPA violation as i can imagine. keep talking......
Tony Brandenburg
4:20 pm on Thursday, August 23, 2012
Occupational Therapy is funded through special education. Who said we didn't? What is normal behavior. Isn't normal a subjective term?
Pus.dad...... Why are you still harassing us? Do you harass all women, or just women you disagree with? Why do you hide behind a pseudonym? Do you lack the conviction of your ignorance? Why do you keep baiting? How do you breathe with your head shoved so far up there?
pusddad
4:40 pm on Thursday, August 23, 2012
all I did was ask a follow up question after reading an article your wife invited me to read. It goes to the heart of t he issue. How much should the 25 reasonably be expected to do to accomodate the one? Healthy second grade classrooms and students should be expected to create stimulation that apparently your son could not handle 2 years ago. Throughout all your postings over 2 years, you have never answered this question. 25 7 seven years olds cannot reasonably be expected to refrain from normal behavior to prevent an explosive meltdown by one. Likewise, you have never answered how you could be so much in the dark about the absence of the elements of the IEP in the classroom, when Mary helped draft the IEP. With simple diligence on your part, you would have discovered that the required things were not in place or being done.
Tony Brandenburg
5:18 pm on Thursday, August 23, 2012
pobrecito. you think she wanted you to read it? delusions of grandeur. she could care less whether YOU read anything at all. you haven't answered my questions.
Tony Brandenburg
12:49 am on Saturday, August 25, 2012
PUSDDAD commented on the article Autistic Student Makes Bittersweet Return to Sierra Madre Elementary QUOTE: “......If you don't like Sierra Madre and smes because it has too many white folks, move somewhere else. Don't lash out at the rest of the world ..........."
Turtle
4:56 pm on Thursday, August 23, 2012
I probably shouldn't interrupt the feedback loop, but I do have a general question.
My kid in SME can't concentrate with any noise at all. Not even regular classroom noise. When I volunteer I find him with his hands over his ears, and always getting his work done slow and last. Thus far it hasn't been an "issue" because he learns everything at home, and I personally view his school experience to be more about learning social skills.
However, it would be nice to have him be able to excuse himself to someplace quiet to get his in-room work done. Or maybe wear headphones? Though I'm concerned he might get bullied.
I'm actually interested in hearing from both Mary and Educe as to what kind of solutions there are for a kid who just can't concentrate with noise. (not SME specific, but just what I could/should do that's best for him). He doesn't melt down over noise, he just can't concentrate with it.
Mary Brandenburg
5:15 pm on Thursday, August 23, 2012
@Turtle, thank you for interrupting. It's not really feedback, but pretty constant harassment that follows us from one article to the next.
Ear plugs are a great idea. Unfortunately, I think you may be right about the headphones. I don't know if your child has an IEP, but if he does, it could be written in that he use an ipod to play music/white noise (if that helps with concentration). Also, he could request to go to an alternate setting (eg. RSP room) for quiet.
Tony Brandenburg
5:34 pm on Thursday, August 23, 2012
sorry for the intrusion. the special ed task force made recommendations that every school in pusd have an alternate setting for children who need quiet, or even a place to 'chill' when the stress of school becomes too much. This suggestion- the sensory room- has been removed from the task force suggestions as the" watered down no-changes necessary" plan was taken over by the same old ineffective PUSD "specialists -who- previously- did -nothing- before- they- were- promoted- to- become- ineffective- leaders" stepped in to re-write and re-route the plan. No surprises there......
Anyway, with a specifically designed program for integration of increased sound, a child can learn to adapt to some noise, and can be taught when and how to seek shelter from sound as needed.
I wish i could help to alleviate your concerns about bullying, but I can not. i have found that it runs throughout the sierra madre school community, from the staff, from the parents, from the leadership groups, and from the children. it can be subtle, to blatant; and it is unrelenting.
that said, there are a number of excellent teachers and para supports at the school, the trick is navigating the system and being assigned to their rooms.
Turtle
6:41 pm on Thursday, August 23, 2012
Thank you both for the replies. I started reading the article because of the subject, and debated commenting because it's like stepping into a bar fight. I'm not sure if it's okay to just concentrate on this one topic but that's what I'm going to try to do.
So there was a recommendation for a quiet room? Is that something that could still happen? Perhaps in the library? Is there a space that is usually quiet anywhere around? I'm going to try the headphones first and see if it works.
And what is the program that helps them learn to adapt to some noise? Is that something I could do at home?
pusddad
8:27 pm on Thursday, August 23, 2012
Tony where would such a sensory deprivation space fit within a classroom.? They are pretty crowded already.
Tony Brandenburg
9:44 pm on Thursday, August 23, 2012
pus.dad- no one mentioned sensory deprivation (flotation devices)- what are you talking about, you silly knigget?
9:47 pm on Thursday, August 23, 2012
PUSDDAD commented on the article Autistic Student Makes Bittersweet Return to Sierra Madre Elementary QUOTE: “......If you don't like Sierra Madre and smes because it has too many white folks, move somewhere else. Don't lash out at the rest of the world ..........."
Louis Educe
5:14 pm on Thursday, August 23, 2012
Turtle - first I am wondering why you think " I'm concerned he might get bullied"? is it because he might have headphones while other can't?
T the school I work at and in some of the Intervention class I teach i have kids who also work better with background music or white noise headphones on, I make sure and set up some classroom norms which so far have created no problems.
First I let everyone in the class know that I want everyone to be successful and that to do that we all might need different things. I let them know that I will be allowing student A to use headphones on a trial basis to see if it helps block out distracting noise. I let them know that I am in charge and will monitor the situation. I let studetn A know that his music or noise cannot be played loud enough for someone to hear sitting next to him and he may never share the ear buds with anyone else. If it is just for my class I would keep the device locked up when not in use. I also would let him know that anytime I am talking he must remove them from his ears. So far I have had no problems with kids saying anything. I let them know that if the feel it is unfair they can ask the principal (who already approved it). White noise headphones are the best as you can show other kids what they sound like and that it isn't "cool' music. The best thing is to talk about it and not try and hide anything, that is the best way to avoid bullying situations. I'll post a link in another comment to an Edweek article.
Louis Educe
5:17 pm on Thursday, August 23, 2012
Turtle here is the link - I thought it was interesting and shared it with our special ed team...
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2012/05/23/32introvert_ep.h31.html?tkn=UWOFHNDoTu0sCr5u9ujFY8YDrwR/pfT%2BmrHo&cmp=clp-edweek&utm_source=fb&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mrss&google_editors_picks=true
here is a quote: Whoever designed the context of the modern classroom was certainly not thinking of the shy or quiet kids," said Robert J. Coplan, a psychology professor and shyness expert at Carleton University, in Ottawa, Canada. With often-crowded, high-stimulation rooms and a focus on oral performance for class participation, he said, "in many ways, the modern classroom is the quiet kid's worst nightmare."
Turtle
6:30 pm on Thursday, August 23, 2012
I was thinking of the airplane tarmac headphones that look ridiculous (but are completely sound deadening). I had never thought of white noise headphones. Thank you, that's helpful. I'll get some and see how they work at home.
My son is not exactly shy or quiet, but he can't learn by listening, which is going to be a long term problem for him. He learns by reading and doing (like with blocks), but he needs silence to read and concentrate.
Louis Educe
6:41 pm on Thursday, August 23, 2012
Turtle - the white noise head phones look much more "regular" and so won't stand out too much. I have kids that have shown great improvement using them. How does your son do at sporting events? if OK then interest and focus might over-ride noise distraction - might be good for teacher to know they have to keep him highly involved in lesson to overcome any noise. In this day of RtI there will need to be some in-class attempts to solve problem, documented to show results prior to any type of assessment for either an IEP or 504 program plan. Make sure and make an appointment with the teacher ASAP to share concerns. trying to fly under the radar with this will only drag the process out and slow down correct support for your son. Don't give up.
Louis Educe
6:50 pm on Thursday, August 23, 2012
Also don't let Tony's comments discourage you - there are MANY happy students and families at Sierra Madre with kids that have special needs and classroom support systems. Theirs is NOT the norm and if you have read the posts and past blogs you will see that they have very set ideas about how they wanted things to run and when it didn't go their way in the classroom and with the districts choice of program for their son they decided it must have been bullying and vigilantes, rather than that they might have been incorrect in their assessment the amount of support their son required to be successful.
Don't give up SME is a great place to raise a child.
Tony Brandenburg
9:42 pm on Thursday, August 23, 2012
when the duce decides that the information is too close to home on her own threads, she deletes them. right eduslop?
pusddad
5:33 pm on Thursday, August 23, 2012
If a second grade classroom cannot provide a good sensory diet to a child prone to explosive meltdowns, that child should not be in that class.
Tony Brandenburg
9:39 pm on Thursday, August 23, 2012
you finally figure out what that means?
Mary Brandenburg
5:41 pm on Thursday, August 23, 2012
And therein lies your ignorance pusddad. Did you even bother to read the article?Did you bother to look at the links? Doubtful. Before making blanket statements and assumptions, I would suggest you learn what a sensory diet is. You're not here to learn, you're here to hassle us.
Are you going to the next Board of Ed meeting to continue your support of your buddy?
pusddad
6:10 pm on Thursday, August 23, 2012
Mary, I read the article. It states a good sensory diet is needed to prevent meltdowns. I then asked how a mainstream second grade class could provide a good sensory diet. If you can't give specific examples how in plain langunage, we should assume it probably can't be done. Your solution wrongly assumes the other kids should endure an acceptible number of explosive meltdowns if the sensory diet is not sufficient.
Tony Brandenburg
9:41 pm on Thursday, August 23, 2012
in other words mary, if you can't describe it in a way that pus.dad's seven year old mind can comprehend, then it can't exist.
Tony Brandenburg
9:47 pm on Thursday, August 23, 2012
PUSDDAD commented on the article Autistic Student Makes Bittersweet Return to Sierra Madre Elementary QUOTE: “......If you don't like Sierra Madre and smes because it has too many white folks, move somewhere else. Don't lash out at the rest of the world ..........."
Tony Brandenburg
5:44 pm on Thursday, August 23, 2012
we thank all of the new readers who are sitting in to read the article, and to read the comments. to understand how two teachers, mary and myself, changed from positive, and outgoing people,- to guarded, and fired up accidental activists, we suggest you google brandenburg+ sierra madre, and do a search on brandenburg here in the patch search. you will get a clearer picture of where this came from, and how long, and severe the discrimination has been. some of the people here in this thread have been in our business for more than two years. troll our world, please, and learn what happens when the people you trust turn out to be the nastiest, most vicious people on earth.
Reply
Tony Brandenburg
5:45 pm on Thursday, August 23, 2012
and then, perhaps, you will understand our anger
Tony Brandenburg
7:16 pm on Thursday, August 23, 2012
Our experience is not isolated, the others have just left quietly is all. Lou Educe is a pseudonym Dorcas gendershifting habitual liar. You can call me, locate me in the phone book, and look up my credentials. Lou Edice had to change names from Edugreat in order to distance herself from the web of lies she was caught in. She is an eloquent fraud.
Welcome to Sierra Madre.
Tony Brandenburg
7:21 pm on Thursday, August 23, 2012
Dorcas is a word prediction error. No idea why it popped up.
Vinny BarbarinoVinnybarbarino
7:28 pm on Thursday, August 23, 2012
Hi my old friend puss dad I know a good diet hcg u stick a needle in your belly and out pops a hooded Mary Mac!
Tony Brandenburg
7:33 pm on Thursday, August 23, 2012
A pta representative at the school arranged a meeting with a board member and a group of parents to make sure that our son was thrown out of the school. They did this after executing a plan for his removal which included surveillance of our home and street while our son went to school and then calling the police on him, surveillance of our child by a parent outside his classroom, a parent petition for his removal, filing a police report, meeting in victory park to organize his removal. All of this is documented at board meetings, with the office of civil rights, and in numerous places on the internet. All of this was done while I was recovering from a heart attack. Edutrash le souvenir is a class act sow dog pig.
Reply
Vinny BarbarinoVinnybarbarino
7:34 pm on Thursday, August 23, 2012
Edudump or should I say Mary Mac there's a blue light special on hoodies at your local k mart !!!! Just saying !!!
Reply
Vinny BarbarinoVinnybarbarino
8:18 pm on Thursday, August 23, 2012
Edugreat puss day October is right around the corner !!! You know what that means spring time for Adolf in grermany !!! Gather all your close friends Stalin , Kim Jong il , saddam, gaddafi , etc and don't forget the torches !!!!!!!
Reply
Tony D. Baloney
3:46 am on Friday, August 24, 2012
I still sit here wondering why these two vigilanti sympathizers won't simply post their true names. If they were simply transparent as to who they are then maybe their arguments would hold more credibility. The only reason why they don't is because transparency would discredit them even more than their own words already do. Don't be fooled when they claim it is because people are going to jump out of the woodwork with pitchforks and the fear the worst. It is all smoke and mirrors.
Reply
Louis Educe
7:36 am on Friday, August 24, 2012
and that coming from a man who uses processed lunch meat as his last name...
My name IS Louis. I am NOT the person Tony and Mary have mistaken me for.
All your and Missy/Vinny/Rhoda and Tony and Mary's rants only go to prove the point made at the one meeting I attended that when another parent asked about talking to the boy's parents - the response given by someone else was that they are not very approachable and react in anger when questioned about their son's behavior - better to go through the administration as a mediator with our concerns about the explosive classroom environment. Your continued insistence that I am someone else only shows the limits of your view point and mentality.
Mary Brandenburg
10:30 am on Friday, August 24, 2012
Louis, you have changed gender in order to avoid the blantant truth of who you are. Rather than trying to belittle us, the parents of the child who was VICTIMIZED, maybe you should try some self examination.
*Why did you circulate a petition to remove, rather than a petition to insure the child was receiving services?
*Why did you accept gossip regarding our family re: approaching us, rather than asking a staff member, or going straight to us?
*Why did you, an educator, ignore a child in crisis and allow what you witnessed to continue without notifying his parents?
*Why did you meet without the child's parent to formulate a plan for the child?
*Why do you call us liars or ranters when we've shown that everything we've said is the truth, and we now have documents to back up our statements. Do you?
*Why do you continue to bully and harass us when we've tried to educate and enlighten the community?
*Why do you continue to hide behind a pseudonym rather than stand by your actions if they were so altruistic?
Once again:
1. I have the class list from 2010- there is no Louis Educe
2. You stated yourself that your son sat next to mine. There was only one child that did in the 26 days he was there.
3. You confirmed your son wore glasses right here in this thread. That child is one and the same to the child that sat next to mine.
We know who you are. We know why you hide.
Tony D. Baloney
3:02 am on Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Well Lou Lou... Settle it once and for all by posting your complete name... I will go frusta since you have forgotten. My name is Tony Dauley. How do you do. Now it is your turn Lou Lou. What is your name??????
Louis Educe
11:05 am on Friday, August 24, 2012
Mary - again YOU are wrong.
You can't think out side your little box of ideas.
I have NEVER mis-represented myself to you. My name is Louis.
You are correct that Educe is not my last name but rather a name which represents me: "e·duce/iˈd(y)o͞os/
Verb: Bring out or develop (something latent or potential).
Infer (something) from data.
You don't seem to have a problem with Tony "Baloney" use of a false last name, or your husbands multiple names. But I am sure you'll have an excuse for them.
Reply
Mary Brandenburg
11:48 am on Friday, August 24, 2012
And "Louis", you create a lot of smoke screens, but when you're asked direct questions, you never really answer, yet demand we answer you.
Don't forget- 26 days my son sat next to the same boy. You, admitted your son sat next to mine, now you're going to deny it? Please, your argument is weak.
Louis Educe
1:04 pm on Friday, August 24, 2012
Mary, its not my fault you are living in a uni-dimensional world a la "Flatland".
There were at least 5-6 students that would, at any one time, fall into the multi-dimensional view of "next to". And I also never said that my son sat "next to" him the entire time (he got tired of the interruptions and on his own asked to be moved)
You are stuck only looking through one lens and fail to see the full picture.
ALSO - my answers have been the same from day one as to what I did and didn't do or say or participate in. You, with your limited view of the situation, discount what I say because it does not fit with your preconceived ideas, but that doesn't make my statements false, just your assumptions.
Mary Brandenburg
11:43 am on Friday, August 24, 2012
My world reaches beyond the confines of Sierra Madre, so do my ideas. You should try it sometime.
Your narrow minded view of the world, and archaic thoughts on education may blossom and begin accepting the myriad of different people that exist outside of this town.
Of course I don't have a problem with Tony Baloney, he told you who he is, and I'm sure you could pull up the quote from where it came from. My husband, the other Tony, uses stage names because he's a musician. He does not post anonymously here, as you do to hide.
We are not afraid to stand behind our convictions, we advocate openly for children, and we are not afraid to stand up to bullies, and will do so without hiding.
Reply
Mary Brandenburg
1:29 pm on Friday, August 24, 2012
Semantics now "Lou"? Next to, beside......there was one desk next to my son's. It's been verified who sat there. Smokescreen.
Reply
Tony Brandenburg
3:02 pm on Friday, August 24, 2012
geez lou-ise, more red herring and straw men.
Reply
Louis Educe
3:50 pm on Friday, August 24, 2012
OK but go with me on this... WHAT IF I AM TELLING YOU THE TRUTH?
I know it is beyond your capacity to think you might be wrong about ANYTHING, but what if you are and what you have been saying about me and the person you mistake me for is all off base, and everyone who knows me and the truth has been smirking and laughing at you for persisting on your wild goose chase... Chew on THAT for a while WE laugh and snort coffee through our noses at YOU Tony.
(and now stay tuned for the rants that will shut down the blog...)
Reply
liz
11:32 pm on Saturday, August 25, 2012
Louis or whoever you are. You are clearly missing the point. A family has been wronged. Civil rights have been violated. You do not have the expertise nor the right to determine who should or shouldn't be allowed to attend a certain school. That is by law, between the parents and the school district. They determine placement together at an IEP and it is no one elses business. That is what happened. Said child was placed at Sierra Madre because the team determined that was the best and least restrictive environment for him. He is entitled to this under FAPE. Do you know what that is? You don't have to like it. Too bad. That is how the cookie crumbles. If you and all these other blow-heart bigoted parents didn't like it, you could have moved your children out of Sierra Madre. Isn't that what White Flight is all about? Get away from the undesirables? Please.....Be my guest!
Mary Brandenburg
10:38 am on Sunday, August 26, 2012
Thank you Liz and Samantha for your thoughts, and words of support. You can see what we're up against. I'm not sure why these people can't understand that we won't give in to bullies. They also don't understand what equality and justice means.
Mary Brandenburg
4:08 pm on Friday, August 24, 2012
Cyberstalkers/bullies should be banned, as should anonymous posters, as per the Patch terms of agreement. Your foolish rants should not shut down the comments as there may be people with legitimate questions and issues to post. Whomever you are, Lou, there was no Louis in the class. You can say otherwise all in caps and that won't make it true. You and your friends behaved disgusting and showed how bigoted and small minded bullies really are. A group of adults discriminated against a 7 year old CHILD with autism. No amount of baiting and blame shifting will change what you all did- whatever your name is- bully.
Reply
Louis Educe
12:01 am on Saturday, August 25, 2012
So Mary are you telling me you are SO sure that your little class list of parents contains all the information? Have I ever said my name was or should have been on that "list". I doubt it contains the names of every child's birth AND step parents AND legal guardians. Or do you have special insight or permissions into court orders? My son is my son not matter who he lives with and I have as much legal and moral right to advocate for a positive learning environment as anyone else on that "list". Are you REALLY sure you have all the answers, are you that egotistical?
Did you never see the seating arrangement of the desks, even with your child at the end there are a minimum of 3-4 kids whose desks butt up against his as well as another 2-3 directly around. Are you SURE you know every kid who sat and then asked to be moved away? What about the up in the front of the room? you know every person who sat next to him on the floor? REALLY?
Tony Brandenburg
12:12 am on Saturday, August 25, 2012
you have been very useful lou. you hav=d information that only a parent volunteer or pusd employee would have had. you blasted information about our child all over the school, district office, and internet- thus supporting our claim that our privacy and rights under ferpa had been violated. you gave us so much information that we were able to do pra to pinpoint dates, to figure out which parents were involved, how to find the letters, and how significant your vile hatred really is. i for one applaud you. your desire to gain attention, and to distance yourself from what you did made it easy to find everything. i also will say this- you are the sloppiest on friday and saturday nights. just an observation. cheers.
Tony Brandenburg
4:39 pm on Friday, August 24, 2012
LOU- Cyber stalker, bully. QUOTE: "WE laugh and snort coffee through our noses at YOU Tony."
you have to have a "we' to stand up, don't you, lou? just like you did to my son, you needed to have back-up, didn't ya? you took it out on him, because you don't understand me. wow. and you continue to have access to the children at sierra madre? who is we? the teachers, the pta, the ssc? come on lou, snorting fool, who else do you need to make you feel so powerful? takes alot of power to bully a child with autism to payback his father.
PATCH- do not allow this bully to force this thread to close. the article is continuing to bring readers, because of repostings on autism blogs throughout the country, and readers from all over the world. however, this cyber stalker/ cyber bully needs to be banned.
Reply
pusddad
8:13 pm on Friday, August 24, 2012
I suspected you were posting this article to your worldwide support group because you have refrained from your usual juvenile profanities, name calling and veiled threats.
Tony Brandenburg
12:03 am on Saturday, August 25, 2012
@pus.dad: my worldwide support group? don't you mean your new audience? you have bent over backwards to make sure and get their attention?....... and...... wha....? juvenile profanities and name calling? i would never stoop to such depths to win an argument, you piece of dog vomit. veiled threats? if only i was capable of being so subtle. i veil nothing, least of all my contempt for you. see, pus.dad, you can plainly see that something happened up here, but you are so concerned about protecting your bored member sponsor that you can't admit that it happened; to do so would be to commit some grievous act against him. to threaten you is the equivelent of threatening daffy duck; neither of you exist outside of a celluloid/cyber paradigm. you don't exist; you are an anon poster.however, if anyone has been threatening, it has been you who for the last two years have waited until i was on tour, away from my family, & on another continent before you started sending cryptic posts, following my wife around from blog to blog, and harrassing her, and then taunting me. step back from this a bit, and take a look at your own stalker behavior before you cast stones at me, blowhard. i'll just pick them up and throw them right back.
Louis Educe
12:11 am on Saturday, August 25, 2012
Tony - you are so full of yourself you can' remember that it was YOU who used that laughing coffee out your nose comment directed at me in the "Request Denied ... continue Fight" blog Tony Baloney even made a joke about it later..
I went back and looked the actual comment to get the time and date stamp, but it has now "magically" disappeared. I am sure the Patch editors could get it back if you ask them.
Also I'll contact Jessica Hamlin and make her the same offer I set up with both Patrick and Cassandra to meet or email her any proof she needs to be sure I am who I say I am and that my son was in the class.
You have made the request to have me deleted before and it didn't happen because I am who and what I say I am. While Patch doesn't want anon posters they also don't force people to fill in the demographic info on the personal home page. If I am to be deleted then a large chunk of other people on this site better be too.
You ARE wrong and own this "Mary" person a big apology for slandering her.
Tony Brandenburg
12:26 am on Saturday, August 25, 2012
why would i apologize to mary? for what? she's sitting right here. what the hell are you talking about?
Tony Brandenburg
12:41 am on Saturday, August 25, 2012
and the coffee- yes, of course i remember. i, singular, laughed at you. how dare i? but you AND A GROUP OF VIGILANTES find bemusement in me? so what. i'll say it to your faces, all of you. i am not a little autistic child that you can stalk and slander while his parents are foolishly trusting the school to protect him. i am not a petitioner at the school, or the cafetria, or the classroom, or the mob at memorial park, or at the police station, or parked outside the family's house calling the police on a little boy, or at the district office, or having conversations with the special ed director at the board meeting (oh, yes, we have that email, too). i have nothing to be ashamed of. but somene does. and she/he/it needs company to hork coffee, because he/she/it can't stand up on her/his/its own two feet alone- but only in numbers, like the bully that he/she/it is. pick a finger lou, and know that i'd pick it for you if you had the backbone and conviction that i do. run to your WE.
pusddad
1:16 pm on Saturday, August 25, 2012
Louis: best resist the urge to get these folks to concede anything. It looks like you may be dealing with at least one narcissistic personality disorder. Just ignore them. I will from now on.
Tony Brandenburg
11:20 am on Sunday, August 26, 2012
ooooooo!!!!! greek mythology, yummy! dr. pus.dad has all the answers you may need, be they measure a (oh, the corruption!) or law, or dreir, or honowitz...... now pus.dad is even the freud of webster! an all around renaissance man!!!! oh wise freud of webster, as i pull myself away from the self-admiration pool, tell me how anyone here is as self-absorbed as you? please. oh please. my life won't be complete if you don't pull your head out from up there and speak to me again
Vinny BarbarinoVinnybarbarino
4:46 pm on Friday, August 24, 2012
Louie Louis Mary old McDonald they seem to know who you r !!! By getting your smelly panties in a big old uproar isn't going to change your gender or who u really r MARY MAC!!!!!! Did u not shove a donut in your boys mouth when he was being naughty and congratulate him on doing a good job???? U sure did !!!
Reply
Vinny BarbarinoVinnybarbarino
4:52 pm on Friday, August 24, 2012
Louie you should get parenting lessons from the brandenburgs !!! The first thing they would do is insist u take off your clown uniform u know that white hooded ensemble u wear to your nightly meetings in the park ! You would also have to distinguish your torch and finally you would have to "come out of the closet " !!!
Reply
Vinny BarbarinoVinnybarbarino
7:34 pm on Friday, August 24, 2012
Louie u laugh at them and we all laugh at you and your stupidity !!! You are a BAGUTTE ! You laugh so hard coffee came out of your nose is that due to all the holes in your nose due to your coke habit???
Reply
Tony Brandenburg
12:49 am on Saturday, August 25, 2012
PUSDDAD commented on the article Autistic Student Makes Bittersweet Return to Sierra Madre Elementary QUOTE: “......If you don't like Sierra Madre and smes because it has too many white folks, move somewhere else. Don't lash out at the rest of the world ..........."
Reply
Tony Brandenburg
8:51 am on Saturday, August 25, 2012
what happenened to the 'kinder, gentler' lou? the lou of 'hoping the best for your son' lou? the 'teach me that to tell the world about autism' lou? 'the let's make a deal and discuss it on this blog and not that blog' lou? it's always a delight to watch lou unravel from atop HIS lookout nest when HE can't phish the info out to dish out to HIS little posse.
Reply
Tony Brandenburg
8:52 am on Saturday, August 25, 2012
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE LOU OF AUGUST 21? QUOTE: "Mary, I am sorry the district has, through their inaction, forced you into the decision to hold your child out until they can assure his specific needs will be met in a way which holds everyone accountable for his successful placement and smooth integration into whatever classroom setting they feel is best."
Tony Brandenburg
9:15 am on Saturday, August 25, 2012
silly, silly lou. do you think we'd show you our hand? our decision still rests on protecting him from people like you and your "they aren't my friends" bully partners.
Tony Brandenburg
9:17 am on Saturday, August 25, 2012
see lou, the real story is always right here in the comment threads.
Vinny BarbarinoVinnybarbarino
10:33 am on Saturday, August 25, 2012
Louie / mary Mac / Adolf
It looks like your little game trying to figure out where their son will be placed didn't work out you did your Sybil routine "oh that darn distinct r so inactive in finding the specific needs r met for your poor son"
WHAT YOU REALLY MEANT WAS.......omg you damn brandenburgs r they going to put your bad seed son next to my donut eating four eyed son again they better not or I will go postal and set the park inflames with all the bullies I can gather (hoodies a must) carrying torches and pictures of our fearless leader Adolf . Gee I hope he wears his little black thigh high boots this time !!
Samantha Stevens
3:48 pm on Saturday, August 25, 2012
Excuse me PUSDDAD, but your attempt to place yourself above Rhoda or Vinny and align yourself with Louis is absolutely laughable! And you also diagnose disorders? What is your line of work?
I also wonder what is your issue regarding this repost:
".If you don't like Sierra Madre and smes because it has too many white folks, move somewhere else. Don't lash out at the rest of the world ...........". PUSDDAD, you, Rhoda, Vinny and Louis make a great team. You should bask in your ignorance.
Turtle, I hope you understand that it's one thing to obtain advice from the Brandenburgs, but a very concerning practice in regards to the anonymous Louis. Louis has spent a lot of time harassing the family of a child that was discriminated against, and according to him, actually took part in the activities.
I would take anything Louis says in regards to education, and children, with a lump of salt. His interests are not in supporting children, but in covering his butt.
pusddad
8:27 am on Sunday, August 26, 2012
Samantha: Tony and Mary have complained ad nauseum about the culture of their town and school over the last 2 years, and repeatedly give their respective white majorities as one of there primary negatives. Mary called SM stepfordmadre. Tony advocated busing 33% of the SM students to other pusd schools to remedy the problem.
Tony Brandenburg
9:36 am on Sunday, August 26, 2012
um, actually, busing came up as equity. i said that if disabled children are forced to be bused, all children should be bused, from every school. nice try at a fix though. nice redirection, pus.dad. but that's not why you said it. you know why you said it, and i am still waiting to learn how to be more white so that you'll like muggle me and my muggle kids. please tell me, oh wise sage. pusdpop, pusddad. pusdpapa.
edugreat/lou, "friend?" of socal...... i call eduvomit and variations of pig vomit and dog vomit based on her/it/his use of a proverb variation and getting missy/bradley cooper "banned" for the first of five or six times- "As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly." and 2 peter 2:22 "Of them the proverbs are true: "A dog returns to its vomit," and, "A sow that is washed goes back to her wallowing in the mud." see, no one return to the folly more than stone caster edugreat/lou douche. socal bailed, smartest of us all, but socalpal lou just keeps coming back for more
edu
Tony Brandenburg
9:45 am on Sunday, August 26, 2012
the real challenge for the lou and pop/dad/papa, is how to discredit all of our claims, and they can't, so they throw red herring, and straw men, and then they go down in flames evey time, and they cant stand it. i would laugh, except at the root of this is MY CHILD- and they have very real reasons for sacrificing MY CHILD, and the game is, and will be, outing them. Lou was directly involved, pus.dad/pop/papa has political reasons. he is trying to protect a district figurehead- i won't say which, but, talking horses have more brains.
Samantha Stevens
10:31 am on Sunday, August 26, 2012
Pusddad, I for one, appreciate that Tony and Mary have informed others about Sierra Madre School. I'd liken it to a public service announcement that has been a long time coming.
Your assumption that by Mary calling Sierra Madre Stepfordmadre- can somehow support your contention that she called Sierra Madre a white majority town is ludicrous!
Say whatever you want Pusddad, but Stepford is a comparison to conformity and NOT about a white majority as you outright stated.
Stepford is all about conforming, control, and people with no real opinions or jobs.........but always remain beautiful. Sounds a lot like what they ran into with those parents.
Rather than your very narrow view of "white majority", I'd like to propose that the Brandenburgs and their child are a threat to the status quo, and pecking order.
The Sierra Madre parent's refusal to accept change in a changing world is exactly what happened in Stepford, If these parent vigilantes are not willing to adapt, they'll end up exactly like those beautiful, but empty shells of humanoid robots characterized in the movie.
Vinny BarbarinoVinnybarbarino
10:56 am on Sunday, August 26, 2012
Holy red tide pussman I thought I flushed you down the toilet this morning ?????your like a cock roach you will be here till the end with your false accusations and lies !!! I suggest u grab a bottle and head to Louie's /Mary macs house drink a few and come up with a new plan !!!!! Oh and don't forget to shave that toothbrush mustache you r sporting people might get u confused with that horrible intolerant man !!! HEIL!!!
Vinny BarbarinoVinnybarbarino
4:40 pm on Saturday, August 25, 2012
@samantha Stevens PISS OFF!!!!
@edlout /Louie/Mary Mac .....
And I quote the great Louie on her bigotry "if u don't like Sierra madre and smes because it has to many white folks, move somewhere else. " where should I move Louie I'm an afro Italian and damn proud of it!!!!!!
Vinny BarbarinoVinnybarbarino
4:44 pm on Saturday, August 25, 2012
Hey Louie where r u ??? R u having a few cocktails at your local bar u know the one with all the pirate paintings on the wall !!!! Suck one down for me !!! Cheers !!!!!!!
Vinny BarbarinoVinnybarbarino
4:48 pm on Saturday, August 25, 2012
99 bottles of beer on the wall ,99 bottles of beer take one down and pass it around 98 bottle of beer on the wall !!!!!!
Vinny BarbarinoVinnybarbarino
4:55 pm on Saturday, August 25, 2012
Ahhh Louie/ Mary Mac I can just picture u sitting at the bar sipping from the BOTTLE!!!!! Please don't lift up one butt cheek and let out a smelly burst of air (pussdad) he is a big flatulent !!!!!!
Vinny BarbarinoVinnybarbarino
6:00 pm on Saturday, August 25, 2012
Rhoda your a tard!!!! A gun in your hands you'll probably just shoot yoursel" oops that hole is where the bullet flys out" !!!!!!
liz
12:01 am on Sunday, August 26, 2012
Mary, Well written Blog. I'm sorry that you have been through all of this and I'm heartbroken by the lack of understanding of the community at Sierra Madre Elementary School. Parents of children with Special needs must endure more heartache and pain than anyone can imagine. I Have always said I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy, but after reading some of these responses to your plight I'm tempted to do a few incantations and create a voodoo doll! After all, I've been known to be thought of as a "witch" or off my rocker by those attending my sons IEP meetings! I guess I would have to have some religious bent for anything to take, but I don't. Bummer! I have to say I am appalled by the parents, the school board, and the community at large for allowing this to happen. Better yet, everyone should be scared because if it can happen to one, it can happen to anyone, special needs or not! Maybe it should happen to one of these jump on the band wagon, witch hunter types of parents. I wonder how they would like it? Maybe we could remove their children on the basis that they have small minded myopic parents!
Reply
Vinny BarbarinoVinnybarbarino
9:08 am on Sunday, August 26, 2012
I just dropped the kids off at the pool and I saw puss dad and Louie's heads popping up out of the bowl !!!!!!
Reply
Mary Brandenburg
11:11 am on Monday, August 27, 2012
The Community Advisory Committee is hosting a workshop.
http://sierramadre.patch.com/events/anti-bullying-workshop-9d10f188
I wish this workshop was mandatory for all parent volunteers and PUSD staff to set the tone for the year.
Unfortunately, from what I've seen here, some people won't face their actions to learn from them, they just keep digging themselves in deeper and deeper.
Reply
heidi nottellingyoumylastname
1:40 am on Tuesday, August 28, 2012
all of this has been quite enlightening. not sure what to make of all the characters involved, i can read that quite a few people posting are quite ignorant. i know in other school districts they are very accommodating when it comes to special needs that the Brandedburg child needs and the other children deal with it quite well in the classroom. for those parents involved, give your kids a little credit, intolerance is learned, kids are quite capable of dealing situations and learning to be sympathetic. fair? life isn't fair and the sooner kids learn that, the better.
Reply
D. Hanks
12:01 am on Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Oh my goodness! I had no idea such ugliness still thrived in this day and age. I found this article in my search for information to help my own children in school. I thank God I don't live anywhere near you folks. The name calling. The lack of sensitivity to another human being. I am sitting here shaking at the thought of fellow parents suggesting that my children be put away somewhere simply because they have disabilities. I am also appalled at the way you "adults" are talking to each other. Our two youngest are "special needs". Our three oldest are happy, productive adults in our community. From the oldest to the youngest they have been taught that we all have challenges in some form or another. To deny that would be to deny our individuality. The child who wears glasses is also disabled. The child with food allergies is disabled. The child who lisps has a disability. Do we take away his glasses? Give him peanuts? Punish him for not talking correctly? Each of us is responsible for educating ourselves on social responsibility. That meaning learning how to treat each other with respect. I hope this is an elaborate joke.
Just in case this is real, Mr and Mrs Brandenburg, why have you not brought in professionals to assist you with the school and the district? If this is close to accurate you should have a special education attorney helping you assure that your son's IEP and his needs are being met. Much better to have backup than air your frustrations this way.
bessie denker
2:34 pm on Tuesday, September 11, 2012
It's unbelievable and confusing I am sure, to read these posts for the first time. If however, you read them again, knowing that Tony Brandenberg and Vinnie Barbarelli are one and the same, you may get an idea of what the school and the other parents were trying to deal with. Sierra Madre School has many special needs children, it is an Inclusion School. Several of the other posters are pseudonyms for the Brandenbergs.
Mary Brandenburg
2:46 pm on Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Nice try "bessie". You've only made two posts on the Patch, and they just so happen to be aimed at discrediting us. Tony nor I hide behind fake names.
Maybe you, or the perpetually returning Louis are Vinnie Barbarella?
Maybe instead of continuing the onslaught on us, the victims in all of this, you should try playing nice. If you really want to try proving to the public that Sierra Madre is an inclusion school, start by showing some respect and acceptance of those that have been ostracized.
Tony Brandenburg
2:57 pm on Tuesday, September 11, 2012
i am not posting here, nor anywhere else under anything other than my name or a variation thereof.
Tony Brandenburg
5:16 pm on Wednesday, August 29, 2012
thank you heidi and d. hanks for sounding in.
heidi, you are so right. intolerance is learned. it was the adilts that set this mess in motion, not the kids. the kids fedoff it, and then reflected it.
d. hanks, this is a real place, and we are real people. i agree that there is too much name calling, and i also admit that i am dead center. when i am afforded the respect that i deserve, then the bigots will get the civility they have earned, and not until then. we are grateful that you found the article, and hope that it was useful.
Reply
Sherri Marlette
11:32 am on Thursday, August 30, 2012
We have a say here in Fullerton: The world is watching. I'm still trying to wrap my head around the mentality that "the" kid needs to be elsewhere, anywhere, just not in your school because some of you have the right to dictate who gets what education and where. I'm also floored at the open and shameless expression of this as if it's ok. It's not. Some get this or they'd comment under real, full names. Of course, with or without real names, they're nothing more than cowards and bullies. Remember, the world is watching.
Reply
bessie denker
2:13 pm on Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Sherri, most of the pseudonyms are actually the Brandenbergs, they do it to keep the argument alive. There is so much more to the story than meets the eye.
Mary Brandenburg
2:30 pm on Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Hey "bessie", so you respond to Sherri almost 2 weeks following her post? Who's trying to keep some "argument" alive?
We don't hide behind pseudonyms, that's you and your cronies. This article was supposed to inform, not to encourage the cyber bullies/stalkers to continue their agenda.
Tony Brandenburg
2:54 pm on Tuesday, September 11, 2012
hi sherrie. i think we will be asking for some help in the near future in the way of organized protests here in town. we have tried to keep it out of the larger media, but maybe it is time.
Doug Price
11:56 am on Thursday, August 30, 2012
Mary and Tony,
I know exactly what you are feeling. My son went through much the same situation. He was originally diagnosed with ADHD at age 3. When he was about 12, the diagnosis was changed to Asperger’s Syndrome with SPD. We live in Temecula. My son completed Kindergarten, but barely. His trouble was mostly with adults at that time. In first grade, other kids found out what his sensory issues set him off the most and used those against him. We fought hard to get him tested by the school, (and they dragged their feet and dismissed us several time), before he received his IEP. Even with the IEP in place they forced Gavin out of school and he was placed in a “Non-Public School”. It was here that he was bullied and threatened daily. He received no support from the “teachers” or the principal.
Reply
Doug Price
11:57 am on Thursday, August 30, 2012
(cont)
We moved him to a different “Non-Public School” but the problems got worse. When he was 10, we finally pulled him out of school when older students on his van pulled his jacket over his head, stuffed a wallet in his mouth and then beat him. The driver dropped him off at our home, knowing what had happened to him, but said nothing. We contacted the school, but again they did nothing. We kept our son out of school and enrolled him in an online charter school and my wife took over his education at home. He is now 15 and has mainstreamed back into school this year. He is a sophomore at Temecula Valley High School. It has been only a few weeks and the school is working very closely with our son and us in making this a positive experience. My son is extremely intelligent and creative. I have often said he could take over the world one day if he put his mind to it. Don’t let the school district push you around. Make sure your son has everything he needs in his IEP and that the school district provides all the services he deserves. Check out Sensory411, http://www.sensory411.com/, although in Murrieta, they may be able to provide a referral in Pasadena. Good luck.
Mary Brandenburg
10:11 am on Friday, August 31, 2012
@Doug- thank you for sharing. I'm sorry your son has had to go through so much. You understand where we're coming from. Our hope was that if people could approach sensory differences and behavioral responses from a different viewpoint, they could have some respect and sensitivity for what these kids are going through.
Mary Brandenburg
9:03 pm on Saturday, September 8, 2012
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=348049885281449&set=a.162840330469073.42682.159306720822434&type=1&theater
Reply
Sherri Marlette
5:06 pm on Tuesday, September 11, 2012
@Bessie Denker: Nice try but I'm not buying other pseudonym theory. I've been to a meeting and listened and watched things for myself. I find the Brandenbergs highly credible. I'm also pretty good at catching manners of speaking and expressions. The comments supporting what happened as ok, keeping this little boy out of a regular classroom or school and Honowitz as a good guy are laughable though repulsive and not by either of the Brandenbergs under any pseudonym.
Hi Mary and Tony, I'll support any protest you and plan do my best to bring others up there. I have people whose eyes I've caught
that are helping get this out. Most will not be in Pasadena but their voicers carry as loud as mine. The longer this atrocity is allowed to continue, the more people will know. To repeat, the world is watching.
(I'm not at a computer so I was unable to place this comment with what it's replying to.)
Reply
Tony Brandenburg
5:15 pm on Tuesday, September 11, 2012
thanks sherrie. i looked up these names. they are characters from a movie. it is the postings of the queen wasp in this whole thing. we went to meet at the school last night, and the hassle starts immediately the next day. i think i am understanding better. the closer he is to returning to school, the harder the hassle. i get it.
Tony Brandenburg
5:39 pm on Tuesday, September 11, 2012
this is really interesting. bessie denker, clearly a pseudonym, stated that i am the creator of many post/characters. the reality is that this woman had created a pseudonym, posted on facebook in 2010, handed it to the district, attorneys for the district decided to hand it to to the office of civil rights- saying it was us. leaving posts and blaming the posts on us is what this lady does. she is a rotten, rotten person, and she has gone to great lengths to attack us.
Tony Brandenburg
5:41 pm on Tuesday, September 11, 2012
(we found this evidence in our latest PRA request)
pusddad
6:43 pm on Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Tony and Mary: trying to stay out of this topic, but I read an article today in the California Lawyer Magazine about a very similar situation as yours. The parents ended up retaining an expert attorney who it appears ended up getting the same settlement the pusd offered you very early on, free tuition at a private school with expertise in children within the autism spectrum. The private school is a lot further away from their home than the one offered to you.
Reply
Mary Brandenburg
11:59 pm on Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Pusddad, how much does Honowitz pay you to try to do damage control?
Once again, our son's placement was NOT an IEP team decision as mandated by IDEA.
The decision by PUSD to file due process to FORCE placement at a non public school was made without our input, but instead by classroom parents' pressure on Honowitz and PUSD staff. We have docs to support this. And non public placement was not a settlement offer BTW......so what does that tell you?
Our situation involved fraud, which also influenced placement.
So tell me again how these situations were similar?
pusddad
7:49 am on Wednesday, September 12, 2012
I do not know Honowitz. I was relying on your previous posts or quotes that you rejected the district's offer to pay for your son"s tuition in a specialized private school (Oaks was in the name), but that was unacceptable, amongst other reasons, because he would have to endure door to door bus service to another part of the Pasadena area.
Tony Brandenburg
7:21 pm on Tuesday, September 11, 2012
You can read?
Reply
liz
9:42 am on Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Here is the bottom Line. The parents, the administrators and the IEP team agreed on placement for the child. The IEP is a legal document. The only people that get to decide placement legally are the IEP team which includes the parents. NO ON ELSE IS LEGALLY ALLOWED TO CHIME IN. SORRY FOLKS. YOU CAN ALL HAVE YOUR OPINIONS BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY THIS CHILDS CIVIL RIGHTS WERE VIOLATED! The administrator knows this and the school district knows this. When said administrator had these petitions in hand he should have very clearly taken proper leadership and told these parents that the law does not allow them to dictate placement for any special needs child. He should have tossed them in the trash and put a stop to it right away. I say sue them! Not for different placement but for a stay put order, for protection of child and family members. And I'd go after individuals for violating civil rights if at all possible. Maybe a case against the family that started this for damages. Hell, go for broke. After all you've got nothing to loose and everything to gain. They've already taken so much why not fight back harder. Bigotry is bigotry and it is a nasty, disgusting, ugly bad word! These laws were put in place for just this reason. Sue!
Reply
pusddad
12:28 pm on Wednesday, September 12, 2012
liz: but the law provides that if the results of placement pursuant to an IEP substantially infere with the learning opportunities of the other students, the IEP is legally insufficient. it follows that the other parents have standing to challenge another child's IEP.
Mary Brandenburg
3:03 pm on Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Thanks for the words of support Liz.
Pusddad is an attorney, but not an education attorney.
It should be obvious that when a child is simply dropped into an already hostile environment, without a transition plan, without supports, without all necessary services and accommodations, and with parent volunteers gathering "data" to support the removal- the child doesn't have half a chance.
Add to the mix district staff purposefully keeping parents in the dark, saying "not to worry" and "everything is in place", but not telling parents how much time was being spent in the time out room, nor how often physical restraints were being used, and thus adding to the child's trauma.
These parents did not meet in support of this child, they met to remove this child. That's the sad part of all of this. They even met at the prospect of the child returning- to keep him out, not to make sure supports were in place.
Louis Educe
3:39 pm on Wednesday, September 12, 2012
(PT 1)
Liz – before you decide to help with any “protest” make sure you have ALL the information. Not just a one sided view…
Here is a summary of what happened from another parent of a child in the class, the Brandenburgs will say this is all a lie, but that may be because it doesn’t mess with their view that it HAD to be “bullying and discrimination”. They also contend that all the parents were aware that this was the inclusion classroom for 2nd grade and that we had the choice to be in or out (it was not known and there was no choice – I have asked the Brandenburgs to show how we were informed of this and the can’t do that)
At the first informal meeting, (which happened after a week or two of school, and which I found out about via a conversation after-school with another parent in the class, I do have the right to talk about my son’s day at school and the events of the classroom!) I and other parents shared what we had heard about from our kids about classroom disruptions, some shared specific details of incidents involving the Brandenburg’s son and their children, then those who wanted shared ideas about what we could/should do to help our kids deal with the situation. I along with others said that the first thing to be done was for someone to talk to the principal and share that we as parents were concerned about the learning environment and safety in the classroom.
Reply
Louis Educe
3:39 pm on Wednesday, September 12, 2012
(PT 2 )
It was at that time that one of the parents who’s child had been in the same class as the boy in the K/1 combo said that he had an IEP. We agreed to ask for the behavior plan (if there was one) to be followed and extra support given to the teacher/students if possible. WE DID NOT WRITE AN IEP or BEHAVIORAL PLAN. There was NO talk of getting rid of your child. It was all about supporting ALL kids (even the Brandenburg’s) to be successful and maintain a quiet / calm / safe learning environment. What we did ask for, which the district did not provide, was training for our kids to better understand autism and help to know how not trigger their son. This never happened
(The focus was on behavioral interactions between children, NOT on the child specific disability. Similar conversations would have occurred for ANY child. We as parents have every right to ask the admin to maintain a positive learning environment in our children’s classrooms. How they did that was their decision. When there are conflicts in a classroom between children, it is very appropriate for parents to take their concerns to the admin to act as a moderator party and not confront the parents themselves.)
Louis Educe
3:40 pm on Wednesday, September 12, 2012
(PT 3 )
One of the parents volunteered to go talk to the principal and share our concerns for the safety and learning environment and ask her to look into the situation, follow whatever IEP/ Ed code regulations were in place (NO parent wrote or saw the IEP for the child) and make whatever adjustment she felt were needed to ensure a calm and productive learning environment for ALL children in the class. If changes needed to be made to the IEP/Behavior plan, that was a decision for the Admin and Brandenburgs to jointly make at an IEP addendum meeting. I, for one, assumed one would have been held if needed, and never was informed nor asked about it but simply kept asking my son if things were going better in class. It was after this that an additional aide was in the classroom so their son had 2. These aides together had to assist their son from the room at times. (The Brandenburgs harass me because they say I was negligent in not letting them know about the aides – I assumed they knew and had agreed to it in an IEP – so why should I have said anything)
The triggered outbursts continued, the other children in the class became more concerned and even afraid, the aides seemed unable to get the behaviors under control. To my knowledge there was only one instance of a child physically assaulting the boy. May B admits to that happening, as well as the fact that she didn’t report it immediately to the admin so it could be dealt with as the bullying it was.
Louis Educe
3:40 pm on Wednesday, September 12, 2012
(PT 4 )
At this time – I assume - is when some smaller group of parents decided to ask the principal and/or their school board member to again look into the situation. The district did, an alternative placement was, (according to the Brandenburgs) offered and rejected, the child was removed from the school and homeschooled,( according to the Brandenburgs).
I NEVER saw nor signed any petition to remove the child, I NEVER knew about any additional meetings either on campus or off. (I am not saying they didn’t happen, just that I was unaware of them) I was and am more than willing to have my child in class again with the Brandenburg’s son, if the district is willing to provide the needed support systems for ALL students to be successful (be that aides, quiet retreat space, training for other students etc.) My child WAS in the class. I am his parent, I am not Mary M.
Also Liz, understand that the Brandenburgs, who profess to be experts in Autism, Sp. Ed law, parent trainings, members of the district Sp. Ed task force…. have for the past 3 – 4 years – by their own admission - not had a finalized IEP educational / behavioral support plan in place at the start of the year. To me this sounds as if they have a specific plan they want, which the district feels is not in the child’s best interest and the Brandenburgs are using their son, and our kids as well, to push their agenda at any cost. That too is being a bully.
Mary Brandenburg
4:39 pm on Wednesday, September 12, 2012
@Lou- Just can't leave it alone, can you? Every time a person speaks in support, of us, the victims in all this- you just have to stomp down a few more times, just to make sure, right?
I won't even comment on your version of the situation. You don't exist, although you continue to pretend Louis is real. That's fine, you maintain your fantasy life.
What I will comment on is that now, all of a sudden, you all did know he had autism. Interesting.
I also will say that I expect you to stand by your offer of welcome for my son if he happens to be in your son's class.
He is returning, very soon- as soon as I can be sure that all supports are in place, and whether I need to obtain restraining orders re: hostile parents. Take note how many days he's already missed this year. Not sure if will be in your child's class, whose class is he in? You won't be divulging his anonymity since there should be plenty of boys.....
Louis Educe
6:02 pm on Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Mary,
"I won't even comment on your version of the situation. "
of course not...
"What I will comment on is that now, all of a sudden, you all did know he had autism. Interesting."
I never said we knew it was Autism. where did I say that? I said that we were told he had an IEP and thus is should be assumed there is some sort of disability, he also had an aide and later two. that also is a clue there is something up with that student.
"I also will say that I expect you to stand by your offer of welcome for my son if he happens to be in your son's class."
I have no problem with him in my son's class.
"as soon as I can be sure that all supports are in place"
Agreed - All supports for ALL students need to be in place, I hope the other students in the classroom will be helped to understand and support your son. But they can't be expected to do this without some sort of training. If you try to run him in "undercover" and he has his outbursts, you are setting yourself up for a new group of parents to wonder what is going on, and they also would have the right to ask the new Admin to get the class back in order.
Mary Brandenburg
6:35 pm on Wednesday, September 12, 2012
QUOTE: Louis Educe
3:39 pm on Wednesday, September 12, 2012
(PT 2 )
What we did ask for, which the district did not provide, was training for our kids to better understand autism and help to know how not trigger their son.
Out of your own comment Lou. So how did you all already know it was autism since that info was not available?
Ed Dawson
4:39 pm on Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Louis Educe wrote: "...the Brandenburgs are using their son, and our kids as well, to push their agenda at any cost. That too is being a bully."
Agenda? Fighting for fair and equal treatment for their son is an agenda and bullying? And "at any cost"? You mean they refuse to allow their son to be treated as a second class citizen and insist on his being mainstreamed? I've been through this too. One of my sons had an Autism Spectrum Disorder and was sequestered into special classes. When his condition improved (autism is often DELAYED normal development) it was difficult to get him mainstreamed. Impossible where I was, under the LAUSD who would not do it. I gave up our apartment and moved to Pasadena, where I enrolled him under the PUSD. They automatically tried to put him in a special program. I went ballistic. In your terms, I "bullied". Frankly I yelled at them (I can be very loud) and my rough, semi-redneck/semi-punk appearance (baseball cap, Buck Knife on belt, torn jeans, punk rock t-shirt) seemed to put "The Fear" into them. It was obvious I was not going to kowtow to their program. Basically they had a choice of giving me what I demanded, or calling the police. To their credit, they gave me what I wanted. My son did GREAT! He mainstreamed perfectly, got good grades, had no trouble. Will the Brandenburg's son be able to mainstream? I don't know. You don't either. My advice is for the PUSD to give him the opportunity. Maybe he'll surprise the "experts" as my son did.
Reply
Louis Educe
6:20 pm on Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Ed, Tony and Mary invited me to look them up on google at brandenburg + sierra madre, this post on their blogspot at http://theebrandenburgs.blogspot.com/2012/02/our-mission-statement.html
says a lot about their "agenda" and the "our way or no way attitude" even in the face of their child not succeeding in the regular ed class.
"Keep your SPECIAL DAY CLASS. It is just another SUGAR COATED word for SEGREGATION. You separate us from your classrooms for not being LIKE YOU. We don’t want to be YOU and we don’t want to FIT IN.
We don’t want your MAINSTREAMING. Mainstreaming is a LIE that needs to be ENFORCED" and then later "NEVER SURRENDER, NEVER FORGIVE, NEVER FORGET. EQUITY or NOTHING."
Tony has many times said "full inclusion" is the only option, he has even belittled other special ed parents who have said their kids were at 5 Acres, mainstreamed or in SDC classes and doing well, as accepting a "second best" placement for their child. His son WAS included in 1st grade, didn't succeed and was placed back into the K1 combo, in 2nd grade they pushed for inclusion again, their son was again not successful, even with 2 1:1 aides, at maintaining himself in a regular ed classroom. Again, I am NOT talking about academic issues, but behavior only. His placement was at Tier 1-2 -3 of the RtI pyramid, with all the interventions the district used , the DISTRICT moved him out, as THEY decided it was not the LRE best for him.
Maybe some day he will do as well as your son Hope So
Tony Brandenburg
9:40 pm on Wednesday, September 12, 2012
hi ed. nice to hear from you.
she (it's a woman with identity issues) has just disclosed a number of things that were not common, nor public, knowledge until now. she had to have gotten the information from a staff member, and since there was only one it could be, i guess i know who to file a ferpa complaint on & i will use that post as evidence. :) she really is amazing....... it was her idea for me to go after honowitz, diaz, bluemel, and blanco. all i did was follow the directions she gave me. it was her big mouth that gave me the dates so that i could get all the PRA docs. edugreat/lou educe is the best friend i never had.
i know you have already seen the blogspot, but it just got about 100 new hits. i'd forgotten to update it so i went ahead and uploaded more stuff. thanks again, to lou!
Ed Dawson
3:06 pm on Thursday, September 13, 2012
To Louis Educe:
Full inclusion IS the only option which will enable the child to grow up with the social skills to living in the adult world. Children have to learn how to deal with other people. And the fact that the Brandenburgs are fighting for it is to their credit. You, on the other hand are obviously arguing from a foregone conclusion that the child should be kept segregated. You can't fool me with reasonable sounding baloney; I already know what went on at the school. How could it possibly benefit their child to sit alone all day, every day? How will he learn to socialize that way? Segregation is the same ABUSE my son was subjected to, and I had to move in order to stop. I don't think the Brandenburgs should sell their house and move somewhere better, seeing the condition of the housing market. Besides, they have a right to stay put, and their son has a right to be treated properly, never mind who doesn't like them or the color of their house! ;-)
The PUSD needs to do the right thing. And only the Brandenburgs have the right to determine what that is.
Tony Brandenburg
6:03 pm on Wednesday, September 12, 2012
i have found there are generally three types of posters on threads that we are involved in: (1) the supportive poster that is appalled at what happened and encourages us to move forward- either to search out a new program, or atorney, or classroom; sometimes they are well meaning, but support segregation in the process; (2) the negative poster who has some personal interest in this and thinks we should go away- and who make it their business to either try to publicly discredit us/ humiliate us and will stop at nothing to do so; because for them this is about winning some prize that none of us understand (3) the negative poster who has no direct issue with us, but has a political agenda (see #2 from - on). It is that simple. posters who fall under (2) and (3) have a very difficult time when we are given any positive feedback, and they lash out in an effort to get a response from us. it is very effective in soaking up time and energy, but not much else.
Reply
Tony Brandenburg
6:15 pm on Wednesday, September 12, 2012
mary seems to be more willing to engage with them at this point in time. i just find it easier to make fun of them. there isn't really a discussion left to have. they have gotten to the point where they blame us for the situation, for our child's disability, and for not intervening- though all records show we tried. the newest tact (a ariation of an old one) is to blame the victims in this situation for "bringing it onto ourselves." of course. that had to be the next argument- diversion.
i am done with this discussion with the haters. you have given us enough evidence to support that the situation is hostile. your tired arguments are like cud, you regurgitate and swallow it 4 times, and it still comes out dung.
if you want to come forward with your real identities- not some hello kitty or snow white make-believe name- and have this discussion on camera, i am ready, willing, and able. i have the evidence, and i am ready to go.
liz
8:52 pm on Wednesday, September 12, 2012
First of all I don't care if this fellow is an attorney. That in of itself doesn't make him an expert on our children. It only makes him an "expert" on the type of law he practices (and that's only if he's any good. I don't know his track record and I'd investigate that before I'd use him). Louis I know you were trying to explain your position and it wasn't all bad. I do however find quiet a few problems with it. The first problem is this where is it written that the school has to inform you or anyone what the make up of a class will be. Do they have to disclose how many Asian, Latino, girls, or define anyone else to you before they place your child there? THey don't. If they told you about this child I would go after them for discrimination.
Vinny BarbarinoVinnybarbarino
9:37 pm on Wednesday, September 12, 2012
First Louie/Louis is really a female she is a meddling parent bully and her husband is the lawyer! She has been harassing these people non stop for a long time !! She holds gang meetings in the park with other parent bullies along with this mr Ed ! This is soooo wrong it's disgusting !!!!
liz
9:24 pm on Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Sure your kids can talk about their day at school. No one will deny that. I never said you wrote up an IEP, I said the team did, which includes the administrator, teacher, specialists and parents. If there is a problem then a meeting should be called with the parents of the child. From what I have read this did not happen. Parents made such a fuss and so loud that the child was moved illegally. They can not move that child without an IEP and a solid plan to do so. All members of the team must agree to the move and if the parents don't agree they have to continue to come up with a plan that everyone agrees with. I'll agree with the plan possibly being insufficient but, you show me exactly where in the law it follows that other parents have standing to challenge a child's IEP and how? I will be inquiring about this with attorney's also. And an FYI, you really think this district is going to train your children to work with a special needs child, they don't even train their one on one's properly! What planet are you from? Everyone knows that! You said it yourself the assistants couldn't handle the child's behaviors which tells me they are not trained properly. I wonder it they have behavioral intervention training at all. I doubt it. This is not the parents fault but the fault of the district and a society that is apathetic.
Reply
liz
9:42 pm on Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Don't punish this child for what he can not control and do not punish these parents for advocating on their child's behalf. They go through more than you could ever try to imagine. Thank your lucky stars that your children are healthy. This could be you or your child. I wonder how you would feel then? As for a finalized IEP plan I wouldn't sign one either if it was not what I believe to be in the best interest of my special needs son. I don't care if it took one day or three years, I wouldn't sign it if I did not agree. The parents are the experts on their special needs child. I know mine like the back of my hand. No doctor, teacher or other so called expert knows my child like I do. I know what his triggers are, I know when I have an idiot for an expert and I know when I have someone that really knows there stuff. It's not rocket science. I know when I'm being lied to by the district, I know when I'm being supported by the district and I know when I'm being dragged through the muck. why? Because that is an annual sport for school districts. I have been abused, demoralized, and raked over the coals by this district on more than one occasion. But I will not go down alone. I will fight till my last dying breath for my special needs child. Just as these parents are and just as it should be. Wouldn't you fight like this for your typical child? Oh,wait, you are. And at the expense of someone with a disability.
Reply
liz
9:42 pm on Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Instead all of you should be advocating on behalf of this family. You should be rallying around them and leading the charge on the district to do a better job at training and supporting this child. Instead you choose to victimize this family and you try to oust them. What a disgusting display.
Reply
Tony Brandenburg
10:14 pm on Wednesday, September 12, 2012
thank you liz. lou and pus.dad will say that i created you, and that your posts are really me. i wish i had the power to create a person like you. again, i thank you.
Tony D. Baloney
10:39 pm on Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Lou lou is a non issue. If she can't say exactly who she is... it is obvious she has an agenda that it will harm. It has been too long and she has been too involved to NOT have an agenda. Go jump off a bridge Lou Lou and leave this family alone! You are repulsive!
Reply
Tony D. Baloney
10:40 pm on Wednesday, September 12, 2012
I am sure they still think i am you too... even though I have given my name.... Hang in there Tony... you guys are finally making some progress with these sleaze balls!
Reply
liz
11:06 pm on Wednesday, September 12, 2012
You're welcome. Just so you know I can't be duplicated! HAHA! But I could sure use ten more just like me! We are always out numbered by the "experts" I just refuse to loose. I have too much at stake. Abuse in nothing new by this district, and it is abuse. They continually try to break us down. I've been at this for seventeen years now and it never changes. Same old, same old. I'm willing to meet anyone who wants to see who I really am.... So don't give up the good fight! And, no, I am not a figment of your imagination! :) I am a proud parent of a special needs child with Down Syndrome. This school district has taught me to be as nasty as they are. Not something to be proud of. I used to be a very easy going person and now I can be as ugly as all these people that are badgering you. Through this journey I too have learned how to hate. I just want to thank all of them for growing me an enormous back bone! It's bigger than theirs combined. With it I have more freedom and more power. I don't think I'm very popular around here. But who cares! Good luck. I'm behind you all the way. 100%
Reply
Ed Dawson
4:03 pm on Thursday, September 13, 2012
Let's go with science.
http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2012/09/early-isolation-impairs-brain-co.html
Reply
Louis Educe
6:04 pm on Thursday, September 13, 2012
Ed - I was originally a science teacher so I love this stuff!
According to this site http://www.paw-talk.net/forums/f16/how-mice-age-compared-to-humans-20694.html
Pet mice on average have about a 1:50 human year life span. So doing the math each week of mouse life is about half a year in human life.
According to you article the first 7 weeks of mouse life are critical for normal brain development. That equates to the first 3.5-4 years for a child.
I totally agree with your assessment of the situation.. so does Freud, Piaget, Skinner, and many others.
Thanks for bringing this up.
Don't you just love science!
Reply
Mary Brandenburg
8:20 pm on Thursday, September 13, 2012
Lou: Rather than isolating mice, here's some autistic kids that were isolated, unlawfully.
http://autisticadvocacy.org/2011/05/segregation-of-autistic-students-ruled-unlawful/
Mary Brandenburg
9:02 pm on Thursday, September 13, 2012
Lou, check this out. Matthew Israel (Judge Rotenberg Center) studied under B.F. Skinner.
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2007/08/school-shock?page=2
Bettleheim studied under Freud
http://www.pbs.org/pov/refrigeratormothers/fridge.php
Louis Educe
9:56 am on Friday, September 14, 2012
Mary I read your linked site about "here's some autistic kids that were isolated, unlawfully." http://autisticadvocacy.org/2011/05/segregation-of-autistic-students-ruled-unlawful/
Reading it carefully the judge said that the IEP due process was not followed, (I agree)
And
That the classroom the students were placed it was not spacious or as the article puts it "The judge required the district to provide “a classroom that is spacious enough to contain discrete instructional areas for both one-to-one and small group instruction, a quiet area, a reading area, an eating area, and a circle-time area.” In addition, the judge ordered the district to provide sensory integration equipment and an appropriately credentialed teacher and trained aides"
He did NOT rule that the placement it self into a separate classroom was in itself unlawful / damaging/ or not the LRE for the children, he also did not rule that the district was required to place these students into a full inclusion room.
He could have, but didn't.
Those statements at the end of the article are the views of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network ( and yourself) who posted the story NOT the judge who ruled on the lawsuit.
Vinny BarbarinoVinnybarbarino
8:22 pm on Thursday, September 13, 2012
Louie / Mary Mac
I just bet you love science because you are one big science miracle first your a girl than your a boy and look now your back to being a girl flirting with Ed Dawson !!!!!! Hark I hear your daughter honey boo boo calling you!!! And please tell your husband to take the chew out of his mouth it's not polite on public television to have a goob of chew in his mouth!!!!! SOOEY!!!!!!
Reply
Mary Brandenburg
10:18 am on Friday, September 14, 2012
But Lou, the tide is changing and PUSD apparently is looking to change with the times and with financial constraints. My son will not be isolated any more. He will be where he belongs.
What the judge ruled was that the parents were denied meaningful participation in the IEP process- which is what happened to us because of Ed Honowitz and his group of parents. The IEP was authorized for an SDC, the parents did not disagree with that- that's why the judge did not rule it was not LRE. It was the unilateral removal without prior notice that was at issue. Apparently, the parents did not ask for an inclusive environment- but they have that right.
A couple of SME parents filed false police reports which triggered the unilateral removal of my son from his authorized placement. Nothing wrong with that?
Reply
Louis Educe
11:11 am on Friday, September 14, 2012
Mary - my main point with you and Ed is that posting a link to a science study or court case and trying to directly relate it to what happened here (especially when the point made has to be stretched to fit) is not productive.
I agree that the IEP process needs to be followed by the district - I always assumed (during 2nd grade) that you had been informed, and were aware of the additional aides and actions taken, therefore there was never a need to re inform you of something you had signed off on, I even said that when you shared the district did it without your knowledge that they were the real "enemy" not us (Tony laughed that off) I have never said the false police reports were the right thing to do, I did suggest that police reports AFTER reporting it to the admin , could under certain circumstances be OK.
I am glad PUSD is moving toward inclusion, but will be watching to be sure ALL support for ALL students are in place so it can be successful.
I still feel it is my right to advocate for my child's best educational setting (just like you), and if any (not just yours) student is disrupting the learning or safety of the classroom, I will talk to the teacher, principal or even a board member to ask for the situation to be brought back under control. How they choose to do that is THEIR choice, but I have every right to ask for a LRE for my child too!
Reply
Mary Brandenburg
4:45 pm on Friday, September 14, 2012
But Lou, in your words, and tell me this is not meant to be a threat, given what our child has already endured at the hands of the parent vigilantes "... if any (not just yours) student is disrupting the learning or safety of the classroom, I will talk to the teacher, principal or even a board member to ask for the situation to be brought back under control."
WHAT ABOUT TALKING TO THE CHILD'S PARENTS? Have you not learned a thing in all this?
So yes, I will be there, standing watch, to make sure that no meddling parents will interfere on my son's right to an education in the LRE- which just so happens to be a general classroom.
Mary Brandenburg
4:46 pm on Friday, September 14, 2012
Lou, you said, "I will talk to the teacher, principal or even a board member to ask for the situation to be brought back under control." Since Honowitz still is the Board member for SME, do you think after the scrutiny he's currently under, that he will have any more secret meetings with the parent elite?
Louis Educe
5:10 pm on Friday, September 14, 2012
And no Mary - "But Lou, in your words, and tell me this is not meant to be a threat, given what our child has already endured at the hands of the parent vigilantes"
it is not a threat directed toward you or your son - That is what you never grasped - It never was about your son's disability or any anti - sp. ed phobia, or even an anti-Brandenburg mob - it was ALL about wanting our kids to have a safe, quiet, productive learning environment. if you son with whatever support he needed could have been successful in the gen ed classroom that really would have been fine. REALLY - but he couldn't, given the support the district was willing to give.
I DO hope that has changed. REALLY I do.
Louis Educe
1:24 pm on Saturday, September 15, 2012
(Not sure why this has been held as "pending" since 5:03 pm on Friday so re posted it)
Mary - since you say "WHAT ABOUT TALKING TO THE CHILD'S PARENTS? Have you not learned a thing in all this?"
OK - When did you make any effort to reach out to the parents of the children your son was having issues with in 2nd grade? did you call a parent meeting to explain to us how we could help our kids support your child? I know I never got a call, email or visit after my son had his desk pushed into him, or had your son scream in his face. NO - you and Tony both say that it was the Schools job to do this - I AGREE! So I will talk to the Teacher - Admin - or Board member in that order if I see fit. If you want to reach out to me if our children are together and there is an issue fine. You said you would be there watching, if you have that right - so does any other parent - it actually would be best that way since both sides would be represented.
But what I would hope for is that the district would set up support both for your son AND the other kids so they would know how not to set him off, and to understand his needs for movement, space and quiet. If they are not brought into the "loop" the placement is bound to have a rough time.
Mary Brandenburg
2:38 pm on Saturday, September 15, 2012
Ok, once again Lou. How would we know what parents to speak to if we were never notified of anything? My son has, and continues to have a bunch of anonymous accusers, such as you.
The latest "incident" you bring up? Never heard of this one, nor do I have a single document from PUSD after our numerous PRA requests regarding such an incident.
So, here again we go with the gossip and defamatory statements based on no facts.
As a teacher, don't you need to respect confidentiality? Yet you continue to allege incidents about a child, in public comments, and without a single shred of evidence. That is now libel, right?
But if I were to go to PUSD with this complaint, I bet there is no such person as Lou Educe. In fact, there is no Louis Educe registered at the commission on teacher credentialing.........
You need to stop with your anonymous and unfounded accusations- they are harming my child before he's even stepped in the door of the GE classroom.
I need to be at the school to protect my child. There continues to be no board policy to investigate the actions of parents/community members at the schools. We have a very legitimate reason to be at the school while our son is there. He's already been harmed by certain parents. I'd be a fool to leave him at their mercy ever again- and the district knows it.
Louis Educe
3:00 pm on Saturday, September 15, 2012
There is no "Tony Cadena" on the CTC web site either, but that doesn't mean he doesn't exist and isn't credentialed under another name. And I have never said "educe" is my last name, we have gone over this before.
And I also have told you before many blogs ago that your son pushed my son's desk into him when he was upset about not wanting to leave the classroom to go to some pull out service or something. and I have also told you about the screaming in my son's face when he didn't do well in kickball and the team he and your son was on for PE lost. That was the time his aide just stood there and watched, did nothing to clam him down, and let it go on until a yard duty lady intervened.
You and Tony both made various excuses as to why both events either weren't important (he must have bumped into the desk not shoved it) - or some other minimizing tactic...
And both of you as educators know that not every event is documented by a school, most staff know that a referral which includes a Sp Ed child never goes any where due to the "manifestation" issues. so most don't bother. The thing is we parents did keep notes but you dismiss them all as hearsay and gossip. Yet you also have no proof these events didn't happen either.
Louis Educe
3:59 pm on Saturday, September 15, 2012
Well since we've never been informed that our son is in the designated inclusion class as you swear up and down the district tells everyone, your son must be being placed into another class.
I hope he has the support system he needs in place and that the other children (and parents) have been helped to know how best to support and not trigger him. Good luck.
Mary Brandenburg
4:11 pm on Saturday, September 15, 2012
Anonymous Lou, whomever you are......it's a given, my son will be heading back to school soon- like it or not, it's his right. If you have a problem with that, be sure and request your child be moved into another class. My son needs the support of his community, not interference from the haters.
Call the local police department, call your local board member, the superintendent, whatever. Keep standing on the mountain screaming "wolf".
Tony D. Baloney
1:45 pm on Saturday, September 15, 2012
When are you going to come clean about who you are Lou Lou? Watch as she avoids incriminating herself....
Louis Educe
3:08 pm on Saturday, September 15, 2012
Oh and by the way aren't you the one with the "all-knowing" class list.
You could have invited everyone to a discussion, wouldn't that have been the non-threatening things to do.
I just make me wonder why you or Tony didn't check in more or come volunteer to help with an activity to see what was going on in the class - especially since your son had already had to be removed from his inclusive placement in the 1st grade the year before and had his placement changed back to the K1 combo - for similar behavior outbursts. Whats the saying about " fool me once shame on you - fool me twice shame on me"?
Reply
Tony Brandenburg
3:20 pm on Saturday, September 15, 2012
yawn.
Tony Brandenburg
3:21 pm on Saturday, September 15, 2012
looks like snow white woke up
Tony Brandenburg
3:44 pm on Saturday, September 15, 2012
the offer for general ed placement came registered mail this morning, princess. now what are you going to do? call bluemel? call blanco? call diaz? call honowitz? call your co-conspirators?
Louis Educe
4:01 pm on Saturday, September 15, 2012
Great, hope his placement is positive with all needed supports in place for ALL students in the class.
But realize that your hostililty to my questions over the years will most likely not be conducive for a contact from another parent if things take a down turn again.
Tony Brandenburg
4:15 pm on Saturday, September 15, 2012
you and your cronies bully my kid, then you bully us for two years, and then you threaten us, first outright, and now veiled. we don't care what you think, don't you GET it yet? we don't know you, why are you so concerned about us? go away. move your kid. keep him/her there. do whatever you want, but stay out of our business. you don't matter, your opinions don't matter.
if you had read past your self interest and listened princess, you would have realized there is no inclusion because there is no definition. our child is simply a general ed student. wtf is it to YOU?
pusddad
7:00 pm on Saturday, September 15, 2012
best of luck with your boy and the rest of the smes kids. I expect you will both monitor things a bit more, and two years will make a big difference in D's reactions to normal classroom stimulation.
Mary Brandenburg
8:28 am on Sunday, September 16, 2012
Thank you PUSDDAD.
We'll see if the environment supports my boy, unlike the first time. This time, he's already missed the first weeks of school because there again was no transition plan, nor assurances for his safety. I wonder how many other parents have to go to these lengths to insure something so basic for any child.
Vinny BarbarinoVinnybarbarino
3:49 pm on Saturday, September 15, 2012
Hi Louie/Mary Mac
Why do you insist on ignoring me ????
I just want to give you some advice I suggest you take your donut eating son to BOOT CAMP to get the pansy out of him a broken pencil and a torn piece of paper you accuse the handidandy boy of breaking had your girl oops boy in tears he needs to toughen up!!!!!!
Vinny BarbarinoVinnybarbarino
3:58 pm on Saturday, September 15, 2012
Louie
I have a pair of pink fur ear muffs I can give your son along with a hello kitty pencil also with a fur eraser to ward off the handy dandy boy !
Tony Brandenburg
4:18 pm on Saturday, September 15, 2012
i want a hello kitty pencil
Vinny BarbarinoVinnybarbarino
4:34 pm on Saturday, September 15, 2012
I just read some older posts a poster by the name of Bessie Denker !!!good try Rhodas killer grandmother in the bad seed!!!!! Has accused me of being Tony b good try I'm not tony I would be Antonia if I was !!! But I can guess that Bessie Denker is really that tard Louie / aka Mary Mac!!!!!
Vinny BarbarinoVinnybarbarino
4:42 pm on Saturday, September 15, 2012
Boy oh boy I might have to enroll at Sierra madre School so I can witteness the pink fur pencils and tiaras flying when the brandenburgs boy enters Louie / Mary macs boys classroom !!! Make sure Louie you bring extra donuts !!!!!
